Fauci: Schools reopening plans require flexibility

The leading infectious diseases expert Dr Anthony Fauci has weighed in on the debate on U.S. schools reopening in the middle of a pandemic.

Fauci stressed on Thursday that he wanted to see children back in schools.

But he was clear that parents and teachers must follow the guidance of the local school district and how bad the virus was in their area.

The White House health advisor was speaking at a virtual event on the the coronavirus and the impact on schools.

It was organised by Rhode Island's Governor Gina Raimondo.

Fauci spoke of the states and areas in the United States that have seen a spike in virus cases and called on with those states to reevaluate where they are and see if they need to move back into a phase laid out by federal guidelines that slows down their reopening plans.

"I say, you want to open your schools. Get out of the red. Do what you need to do. Close the bars. Forget the congregation in front of a lot of different people. Wear your masks because we know when you do that, you will bring the infection down," Fauci said.

As school districts around the U.S. struggle with starting a new school year amid a pandemic, the Trump administration's message has been that schools should be opening with in-school learning.