Schools in two states experiencing a rise in Covid cases announced they were closing facilities and switching to remote learning. 

Alabama and Tennessee announced the closure of two schools — affecting more than a thousand children — just days into the new academic year, with officials saying the virus had forced them to shut and carry out a 'deep clean.'

At one of the schools, children had to abandon their desks and revert to remote learning for two days — a move reminiscent of the early days of Covid.

The closures — both in Republican states — came despite a mountain of evidence suggesting they hamper children's learning, social interactions and ability to develop natural immunity to common infections.

And there are fears that more disruption could be in store for students in the coming months — with many schools, in states like New York, New Jersey and Michigan, returning after the Labor Day weekend. 

Johnson-Abernathy-Graetz (JAB) high school in Montgomery, Alabama, which has 1,500 students in grades 9 through 12, made the decision to switch to virtual classes just four days into its new academic year after 15 teachers caught Covid. There was no data on how many students were infected.

Staff and children were told to stay home on Wednesday, August 14 and Thursday, August 15 and attend lessons via remote learning while a deep clean was conducted in the school buildings.

The school has now re-opened with masks and disinfection wipes available in every classroom. Masks have not been made mandatory.

At Stigall Elementary, part of the Humboldt school system in western Tennessee, a one-day closure was announced just a week into the new term amid an 'uptick' in cases.

The 246 students through first grade had to stay home on Tuesday, August 13 as their school was cleaned, with parents forced to either skip work or hire a babysitter.