Middle schools in NYC reopen for in-person classes

People wait in line at a mass vaccination site in the Queens borough of New York, U.S., February 24, 2021. /AP

In-person classes for middle schoolsin New York City reopened on Thursday.

This is the second reopening of the city's middle schools, the country's largest school district. In March 2020, schools were closed for the first time when the coronavirus epidemic began, however, the city reopened for in-person classes in September. But as the city's rate of coronavirus infection climbed in the fall, classrooms were shut down again in November.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday expressed optimism that high school students in the country's largest school system could return to their classrooms before the end of the current academic year.

"It's something I absolutely want to do in this school year we're in right now," he told a press briefing.

The mayor said he also hoped to announce high school reopenings in the next few weeks. "High school comes with some additional complications, but I'm very hopeful we'll get it done," he added.

Across the United States, school reopenings have been a hot topic, with officials, teachers, parents and health professionals worrying and debating how to bring millions of students back to classrooms safely during the pandemic after 11 months of remote learning.

(With input from Reuters)