Yesterday, the CDC came out with their first, comprehensive report of recommendations for opening schools. This came, in tandem, with a 18-page Handbook from the Department of Education entitled “Strategies for Safely Reopening Elementary and Secondary Schools”.
Also, I’m confused about the five key mitigation strategies. Why does Cleaning make the top 5, but Ventilation doesn’t? So if I have a certain about of money to spend on making my building safe, should I spend that money on deep cleaning instead of ventilation? (Assuming of course that the other 4 mitigation strategies have been met).
yeah i don’t understand the cleaning either. while covid19 does live on surfaces (at least shown in a lab) there is not one documented case of surface to human transmission. i’m not entirely sure what’s driving this recommendation
Our county has a 3.6% positivity rate and 119 new cases per 100K so we are both in the blue and red transmission categories. How does that data jive together and what does it mean for schools? Note, our state of CO uses a different level for cases per 100k. Under 100 is in the low transmission category.
if i were the one making decisions in tour county, i would side on caution. make decisions based on the highest risk category (regardless which category that is).
There has been a lot of debate in our district already since this recommendation came out. It seems that they wrote it so that it can be interpreted different ways. If our community is in the the blue or yellow, can the kids be spaced less than 6ft apart if that means getting them in school full time? The teacher’s union says this document says no. The parent groups say this document says yes.
Re: a lack of research on schools which have opened without corona safety compliance- Mass Gen has compiled (and is consistently updating) a "COVID-19 School and Community
Resource Library." The research summary is currently 214 pp, and incl. summaries of a decent number of case studies (e.g. Israel) where schools opened without safety protocols. https://globalhealth.massgeneral.org/covidlibrary.pdf
Are there any indications that the new variants infect children to a greater degree than the original Covid-19? This could have further implications for schools re-opening.
Some say yes, some say no, not really enough info yet. For example this story a couple weeks ago, ending with ""All I can say right now is we don't know," Dr. Angela Campbell, a CDC medical officer with the Influenza Division, told a meeting of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices."
I have two questions I would like to know more about 1) is 3 feet distance in a classroom with masks sufficient? Our Gov in Massachusetts wants all kids back in school full time by April, but there is no way to meet 6 feet with any consistency, even 3 may be a challenge in some cases. 2) that said I heard antedotely from a colleague in Ireland that more kids under 12 are being hospitalized with the UK strain.., which is now 90% of their cases. Their schools are still shut at least through Mid March. So since the UK variant has not spread much YET I. The US... does that really mix with sending all kids back to full time next month. May be just a press bit, and not fully data backed.
Also, I’m confused about the five key mitigation strategies. Why does Cleaning make the top 5, but Ventilation doesn’t? So if I have a certain about of money to spend on making my building safe, should I spend that money on deep cleaning instead of ventilation? (Assuming of course that the other 4 mitigation strategies have been met).
yeah i don’t understand the cleaning either. while covid19 does live on surfaces (at least shown in a lab) there is not one documented case of surface to human transmission. i’m not entirely sure what’s driving this recommendation
Our county has a 3.6% positivity rate and 119 new cases per 100K so we are both in the blue and red transmission categories. How does that data jive together and what does it mean for schools? Note, our state of CO uses a different level for cases per 100k. Under 100 is in the low transmission category.
if i were the one making decisions in tour county, i would side on caution. make decisions based on the highest risk category (regardless which category that is).
There has been a lot of debate in our district already since this recommendation came out. It seems that they wrote it so that it can be interpreted different ways. If our community is in the the blue or yellow, can the kids be spaced less than 6ft apart if that means getting them in school full time? The teacher’s union says this document says no. The parent groups say this document says yes.
Re: a lack of research on schools which have opened without corona safety compliance- Mass Gen has compiled (and is consistently updating) a "COVID-19 School and Community
Resource Library." The research summary is currently 214 pp, and incl. summaries of a decent number of case studies (e.g. Israel) where schools opened without safety protocols. https://globalhealth.massgeneral.org/covidlibrary.pdf
love this resource! thanks for sharing. case studies are important, but not quite helpful when making policy implications. we need much larger studies
Are there any indications that the new variants infect children to a greater degree than the original Covid-19? This could have further implications for schools re-opening.
Some say yes, some say no, not really enough info yet. For example this story a couple weeks ago, ending with ""All I can say right now is we don't know," Dr. Angela Campbell, a CDC medical officer with the Influenza Division, told a meeting of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices."
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/27/health/new-covid-variant-complications-children-wellness/index.html
I have two questions I would like to know more about 1) is 3 feet distance in a classroom with masks sufficient? Our Gov in Massachusetts wants all kids back in school full time by April, but there is no way to meet 6 feet with any consistency, even 3 may be a challenge in some cases. 2) that said I heard antedotely from a colleague in Ireland that more kids under 12 are being hospitalized with the UK strain.., which is now 90% of their cases. Their schools are still shut at least through Mid March. So since the UK variant has not spread much YET I. The US... does that really mix with sending all kids back to full time next month. May be just a press bit, and not fully data backed.