The Science Is Very Clear: Schools Should Reopen This Fall

Darth Omar said:
Thanks to Fauci I retired early lol.

How’s that for some irony? If I was one year younger I would be amongst the WuFlu as a healthcare worker. I’m ‘expendable’ but teachers aren’t?

How does this work? Someone explain it to me.
Click to expand...

No American is expendable man. None of us.
 
Walt said:
We do not have contact tracing in America, so we have no way of knowing almost anything about who is giving Covid-19 to who in America. So we come back to the question of what do we do when we simply do not know? You say risk it, but I am not so sure. America's been failing a lot with trump, and I am not in a risk lives on your and his gut feelings mood right now.

Foreign studies are telling us very different things depending on the country. Northern European countries with few intergenerational households say there are little chance of getting Covid-19 from children. Southern European countries with many intergenerational households seem to have better chances of getting Covid-19 from children. And then there are third world countries with no universal healthcare that are seeing actual deaths among children.

We have no universal healthcare, but I am unsure how intergenerational our households are.
Click to expand...

In bold is the biggest takeaway here. Without a coordinated plan to keep track and limit exposure we are doomed to become a crippled nation while the rest of the world picks themselves back up. This is the most disturbing trend developing as this pandemic ramps up in the United States.
 
Irish said:
Doesn't work as well, or at all really.
Click to expand...

I would be the first to admit for kids trying to stare at a screen learning all day is like pouring acid down their throat, lol. Now if it were all games.... maybe for a bit but kids do need physical outlet, interactions and group play. With all that said we are having to face a new normal and going back to the way things were when we have no contact tracing and no way to limit the scope of this sadly just will not happen.
 
crowonapost said:
In bold is the biggest takeaway here. Without a coordinated plan to keep track and limit exposure we are doomed to become a crippled nation while the rest of the world picks themselves back up. This is the most disturbing trend developing as this pandemic ramps up in the United States.
Click to expand...
sort of true.
But "limiting exposure" doesn't really apply to kids -it does to those over 60 and with underlying conditions.

Balance the equation: If we keep kids out of school,and they are still highly prone to test positive -
what other damage to learning/socialization/depression (etc.) do we enable?
 
anatta said:
sort of true.
But "limiting exposure" doesn't really apply to kids -it does to those over 60 and with underlying conditions.

Balance the equation: If we keep kids out of school,and they are still highly prone to test positive -
what other damage to learning/socialization/depression (etc.) do we enable?
Click to expand...

Well as I have been posting on this thread it does factor in the exposure amount kids have. The reality is that there's not enough data to see if that is the case or not simply because we have been collectively in a put out the inferno mode in which the only statistics gathered have been from those clearly infected. Kids may very well have undeveloped ACE-2 receptors that limit their ability to get the virus to infect the body but that does not mean they can't be carriers. Look common sense from dealing with a LOT of nutty grandkids that have lived with me tells me they are um not the best at hygiene and though they may not get infected I can guarantee they could have it all over their clothes and faces and hair and were ever else cuz' they are adorable little bio hazards.

The equation could have been balanced much better if we had a coordinated Federal response with coordinated lock down and contact tracing. We have plenty of examples of nations and peoples of those nations that applied that and are in a FAAR better position than we are. This is a self inflicted wound that won't get corrected by just ignoring reality and forcing everyone to go back to the old normal. We have to deal with it one way or another. If there was a coordinated plan we would not be talking about sacrificing even more Americans of all ages so we can have some normal that the Federal response has literally flushed down the toilet.

The Federal level in power made a choice and every one of those choices has been short sighted, reactionary, to absolute denial, we are past the point of finding balance because of those choice. Sadly.
 
crowonapost said:
Well as I have been posting on this thread it does factor in the exposure amount kids have. The reality is that there's not enough data to see if that is the case or not simply because we have been collectively in a put out the inferno mode in which the only statistics gathered have been from those clearly infected. Kids may very well have undeveloped ACE-2 receptors that limit their ability to get the virus to infect the body but that does not mean they can't be carriers. Look common sense from dealing with a LOT of nutty grandkids that have lived with me tells me they are um not the best at hygiene and though they may not get infected I can guarantee they could have it all over their clothes and faces and hair and were ever else cuz' they are adorable little bio hazards.

The equation could have been balanced much better if we had a coordinated Federal response with coordinated lock down and contact tracing. We have plenty of examples of nations and peoples of those nations that applied that and are in a FAAR better position than we are. This is a self inflicted wound that won't get corrected by just ignoring reality and forcing everyone to go back to the old normal. We have to deal with it one way or another. If there was a coordinated plan we would not be talking about sacrificing even more Americans of all ages so we can have some normal that the Federal response has literally flushed down the toilet.

The Federal level in power made a choice and every one of those choices has been short sighted, reactionary, to absolute denial, we are past the point of finding balance because of those choice. Sadly.
Click to expand...
last thing you want is a "coordinated lock down". this is obviously not one size fits all -
and as I continually point out Fl for ex is getting hit long after we opened up.

My personal thought is the Wu-flu s so dang infectous -it's going to get to the population as a whole
unless/until we develop herd immunity

Kid are definately carriers -but social distancing and staggered schedules can let them come back.
And kids need to stay away from high risk ( who must take their own protective measures)

states and even locals have to make their own decisions based on their needs -
but the feds can set metrics for them to follow
 
Walt said:
Well Darth says until you can prove that opening schools is an absolute mistake, why not just take a chance and see. What do you have to lose, other than your child's life? And on the bright side, if it does turn out to be a huge mistake, well then we will have the strong proof Darth demands before he will start caring.
Click to expand...

More bullshit from Salty!
 
anatta said:
last thing you want is a "coordinated lock down". this is obviously not one size fits all -
and as I continually point out Fl for ex is getting hit long after we opened up.

My personal thought is the Wu-flu s so dang infectous -it's going to get to the population as a whole
unless/until we develop herd immunity

Kid are definately carriers -but social distancing and staggered schedules can let them come back.
And kids need to stay away from high risk ( who must take their own protective measures)

states and even locals have to make their own decisions based on their needs -
but the feds can set metrics for them to follow
Click to expand...

Coordinated lock down works. We did it here in Illinois and we were one of the best at dealing with this... so far.

There will be no herd immunity. The new studies are showing that one cannot get lasting antibodies from this. At the most you got maybe 3 months. Then you can get re infected.
Each time you get the virus it can vary based on viral inoculum and the state of your immunity at that time. You can get it worse a second time depending on those two factors alone.
Finally each time you get it, it can vector in a different way because of it's ability to attach via the ACE-2 receptors. Receptors that are everywhere in the human body.
A recent study in Spain has shown a lot of neurological effects from this virus.

I agree with staggering schedules and the idea of social distancing but these are little not jobs we are talking about here. I think CPS here in Chicago is going to implement a 2 day a week schedule. It's something, not the best but it is an attempt to deal with this.

Of course states have individual needs and that's a good thing. Denial is not one of them, looking at you Florida, Texas, Georgia and Arizona.
Yes the Feds could have set metrics, coordinate testing and masks early on, they did not.
 
floridafan said:
You got another losing position, bubba. Parents favor keeping their kids home, rather than exposing them to the virus. Its no wonder trump is losing by double digits, he takes the wrong position on everything.
Click to expand...
Only because the MSM isn't covering the European studies of school systems reopening and doing it safely.
 
crowonapost said:
Coordinated lock down works. We did it here in Illinois and we were one of the best at dealing with this... so far.

There will be no herd immunity. The new studies are showing that one cannot get lasting antibodies from this. At the most you got maybe 3 months. Then you can get re infected.
Each time you get the virus it can vary based on viral inoculum and the state of your immunity at that time. You can get it worse a second time depending on those two factors alone.
Finally each time you get it, it can vector in a different way because of it's ability to attach via the ACE-2 receptors. Receptors that are everywhere in the human body.
A recent study in Spain has shown a lot of neurological effects from this virus.

I agree with staggering schedules and the idea of social distancing but these are little not jobs we are talking about here. I think CPS here in Chicago is going to implement a 2 day a week schedule. It's something, not the best but it is an attempt to deal with this.

Of course states have individual needs and that's a good thing. Denial is not one of them, looking at you Florida, Texas, Georgia and Arizona.
Yes the Feds could have set metrics, coordinate testing and masks early on, they did not.
Click to expand...

The clinical trials show that the AZN and Oxford University Jenner Institute vaccine produces both antibodies and killer T-cells!

The phase 1 trial in healthy adult volunteers, which began in April, showed the vaccine generated an immune response, with blood samples indicating it stimulated the body to produce both antibodies and "killer T-cells", the Daily Telegraph reported.

It came as Health Secretary Matt Hancock said teams were working towards a "best case scenario" of a vaccine being made available some time this year, although he conceded it was more likely in 2021.

David Carpenter, chairman of the Berkshire Research Ethics Committee, which approved the Oxford trial and continues to work with scientists on amendments, told the Telegraph that the team were "absolutely on track".
Click to expand...

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/oxford-coronavirus-vaccine-could-give-22363391
 
German study finds low Covid-19 infection rate in schools

Tests of pupils and teachers in Saxony suggest children may act as brake on infection

Reuters in Berlin

Mon 13 Jul 2020 10.31 EDT
Last modified on Mon 13 Jul 2020 15.30 EDT

Germany began reopening schools in May.

Very few of 2,000 schoolchildren and teachers tested in the German state of Saxony showed antibodies to Covid-19, a study has found, suggesting schools may not play as big a role in spreading the virus as some had feared.

Germany began reopening schools in May, though debate continues as to the role children may play in spreading the virus to vulnerable adults at home as well as to older teachers and school staff.

The study by the University hospital in Dresden analysed blood samples from almost 1,500 children aged between 14 and 18 and 500 teachers from 13 schools in Dresden and the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz in May and June.

The largest study conducted in Germany on schoolchildren and teachers included testing in schools where there were coronavirus outbreaks.

Of the almost 2,000 samples, only 12 had antibodies, said Reinhard Berner , a professor of paediatrics at the hospital, adding that the first results gave no evidence that schoolchildren played a role in spreading the virus particularly quickly.

“Children may even act as a brake on infection,” Berner told a news conference, saying infections in schools had not led to an outbreak, while the spread of the virus within households was also less dynamic than previously thought.

Saxony’s education minister, Christian Piwarz, said the study showed schools in the state could reopen as normal after the summer holiday at the end of August – but with some conditions, such as mask wearing and social distancing where possible.

Berner said the study was representative for the state of Saxony, which has a relatively low rate of infection compared with other parts of Germany.

For other states with low infection rates, the study suggests schools could be reopened without causing widespread outbreaks of the virus, he said.

A separate study of blood donors found antibodies against Covid-19 in only 1.3% of 12,000 samples, the president of the Robert Koch Institute for public health, Prof Lothar Wieler, said.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/13/german-study-covid-19-infection-rate-schools-saxony
 
Grajonca said:
The clinical trials show that the AZN and Oxford University vaccine produces both antibodies and killer T-cells!



https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/oxford-coronavirus-vaccine-could-give-22363391
Click to expand...

Thanks for that link. It looks like as far as antibodies it may have to be a multi year or yearly thing. Even they indicated they do not have enough data on how long the antibodies last and so far the findings that naturally occur after infection only last about 3 months.
Now the T-cells is very promising. As a matter of fact it may come to be the biggest player of all in this whole thing.

But a source told the newspaper that the results did not yet prove that the Oxford vaccine, known as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, provides long-lasting immunity.

"I can tell you that we now know the Oxford vaccine covers both bases - it produces both a T cell and an antibody response," the source said.

"It's the combination of these two that will hopefully keep people safe.
Click to expand...
 
crowonapost said:
Coordinated lock down works. We did it here in Illinois and we were one of the best at dealing with this... so far.

There will be no herd immunity. The new studies are showing that one cannot get lasting antibodies from this. At the most you got maybe 3 months. Then you can get re infected.
Each time you get the virus it can vary based on viral inoculum and the state of your immunity at that time. You can get it worse a second time depending on those two factors alone.
Finally each time you get it, it can vector in a different way because of it's ability to attach via the ACE-2 receptors. Receptors that are everywhere in the human body.
A recent study in Spain has shown a lot of neurological effects from this virus.

I agree with staggering schedules and the idea of social distancing but these are little not jobs we are talking about here. I think CPS here in Chicago is going to implement a 2 day a week schedule. It's something, not the best but it is an attempt to deal with this.

Of course states have individual needs and that's a good thing. Denial is not one of them, looking at you Florida, Texas, Georgia and Arizona.
Yes the Feds could have set metrics, coordinate testing and masks early on, they did not.
Click to expand...
You seem to know more than the CDC on the subject.


Having antibodies to the virus that causes COVID-19 may provide protection from getting infected with the virus again. If it does, we do not know how much protection the antibodies may provide or how long this protection may last.
Click to expand...
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/serology-overview.html
 
crowonapost said:
Coordinated lock down works. We did it here in Illinois and we were one of the best at dealing with this... so far.

There will be no herd immunity. The new studies are showing that one cannot get lasting antibodies from this. At the most you got maybe 3 months. Then you can get re infected.
Each time you get the virus it can vary based on viral inoculum and the state of your immunity at that time. You can get it worse a second time depending on those two factors alone.
Finally each time you get it, it can vector in a different way because of it's ability to attach via the ACE-2 receptors. Receptors that are everywhere in the human body.
A recent study in Spain has shown a lot of neurological effects from this virus.

I agree with staggering schedules and the idea of social distancing but these are little not jobs we are talking about here. I think CPS here in Chicago is going to implement a 2 day a week schedule. It's something, not the best but it is an attempt to deal with this.

Of course states have individual needs and that's a good thing. Denial is not one of them, looking at you Florida, Texas, Georgia and Arizona.
Yes the Feds could have set metrics, coordinate testing and masks early on, they did not.
Click to expand...

And, what happens "healthwise" when buildings re-open?

**********

After Coronavirus, Office Workers Might Face Unexpected Health Threats
Stagnant plumbing systems in emptied commercial buildings could put returning employees at risk of Legionnaires’ and other illnesses.

By Max Horberry
May 20, 2020

When you finally return to work after the lockdown, coronavirus might not be the only illness you need to worry about contracting at the office.

Office buildings once filled with employees emptied out in many cities and states as shelter-in-place orders were issued. These structures, normally in constant use, have been closed off and shut down, and health risks might be accumulating in unseen ways.

“The buildings aren’t designed to be left alone for months,” said Andrew Whelton, an associate professor of civil, environmental and ecological engineering at Purdue University.

Dr. Whelton, other researchers and public health authorities have issued warnings about the plumbing in these buildings, where water may have gone stagnant in the pipes or even in individual taps and toilets. As lockdowns are lifted, bacteria that build up internally may cause health problems for returning workers if the problem is not properly addressed by facilities managers. Employees and guests at hotels, gyms and other kinds of buildings may also be at risk.

The biggest worry is Legionella pneumophila. The bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a respiratory condition. It leads to death in about one in 10 cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine estimates that over 52,000 Americans suffer from the disease each year.

A single small outbreak can sicken many people. During the water crisis that started in Flint, Mich., in 2014 after the city changed its water source and officials failed to inform the public of water quality problems, many people became sick. The crisis was linked to the deaths of 12 people from Legionnaires’ disease.

After an outbreak at the North Carolina Mountain State Fair last September, 135 people contracted the disease and four died, according to the state’s department of health and human services. Investigators blamed a hot tub exhibit that sent Legionella through the air and was inhaled by passers-by.

Most worrying, Legionnaires’ disease tends to affect people with compromised immune systems.

“Covid patients and survivors could be more vulnerable to this, so when they go back to work we might be concerned about another infection,” said Caitlin Proctor, a postdoctoral fellow at Purdue who, along with Dr. Whelton conducted a study that has been accepted for publication in the journal AWWA Water Science examining risks from water stagnation during the coronavirus lockdown.

Once forming in a building’s plumbing, Legionella can be dispersed through the air when toilets are flushed. Even turning on taps, as employees wash their hands to limit the spread of the coronavirus, can send water droplets into the air that carry Legionella.

Typically, facilities managers reduce the risk of Legionella and other bacteria by pouring small amounts of disinfectant into a building’s water systems. But when the water is left stagnant for too long, the disinfectant disappears.

“Even just after a weekend, disinfectant can be gone in some buildings and the water is vulnerable to contamination,” Dr. Whelton said.

Facilities staff can also flush out old water and bring in a new and fresh supply. Or they can send a high dose of disinfectant through the building and raise temperatures to kill the microbes.

Shutdowns in the U.S. began in mid-March, meaning some buildings have now been closed for two months. And the researchers say that the consequences of long-term water stagnation are relatively unknown.

“We haven’t really done studies on monthslong stagnation,” said Dr. Proctor. “The ecological system may change. So while we’re looking at these organisms, maybe other organisms pop up.”

William Rudin, C.E.O. and co-chairman of Rudin Management Company which manages 16 commercial office buildings in New York, said his staff is being careful and cautious in their approach to reopening.

“Our engineers go through the building testing systems all the time,” he said. “That’s standard procedure.”

One problem for some property managers may be inconsistent and incomplete guidance from regulators and health authorities. Dr. Proctor and Dr. Whelton’s study assessed 21 sets of guidelines developed around the world since the pandemic began, including the C.D.C.’s and 11 from states and counties.

“Not all of the guidelines are created equal,” said Dr. Proctor. “The original C.D.C. guidelines only covered certain systems.”

Because the effects of long-term water stagnation are so little understood, most of the guidelines are based on preventive measures and may not directly address reopening after long-term shutdowns.

“They all go different ways,” said Michèle Prévost, a co-author of the study and the industrial chair of drinking water on the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. “It’s not ill-intended, there’s not that much evidence to guide our choices.”

Unfortunately many of the public health officials who would normally be tackling these issues and getting information out are currently focused on responding to the spread of the coronavirus.

“Health officials are overstretched and have conflicting information,” said David Dyjack, executive director of the National Environmental Health Association. “Health officials simply cannot keep up. Public health is being asked to do things it’s never had to do before.”

Even if only a small portion of buildings have problems, with so many reopening at once, the researchers fear there will be more outbreaks than usual.

“Not every building will have issues but based on what we know, enough of them probably will,” Dr. Proctor said.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/20/health/coronavirus-legionnaires-offices.html
 
Stretch said:
And, what happens "healthwise" when buildings re-open?

**********

After Coronavirus, Office Workers Might Face Unexpected Health Threats
Stagnant plumbing systems in emptied commercial buildings could put returning employees at risk of Legionnaires’ and other illnesses.

By Max Horberry
May 20, 2020

When you finally return to work after the lockdown, coronavirus might not be the only illness you need to worry about contracting at the office.

Office buildings once filled with employees emptied out in many cities and states as shelter-in-place orders were issued. These structures, normally in constant use, have been closed off and shut down, and health risks might be accumulating in unseen ways.

“The buildings aren’t designed to be left alone for months,” said Andrew Whelton, an associate professor of civil, environmental and ecological engineering at Purdue University.

Dr. Whelton, other researchers and public health authorities have issued warnings about the plumbing in these buildings, where water may have gone stagnant in the pipes or even in individual taps and toilets. As lockdowns are lifted, bacteria that build up internally may cause health problems for returning workers if the problem is not properly addressed by facilities managers. Employees and guests at hotels, gyms and other kinds of buildings may also be at risk.

The biggest worry is Legionella pneumophila. The bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a respiratory condition. It leads to death in about one in 10 cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine estimates that over 52,000 Americans suffer from the disease each year.

A single small outbreak can sicken many people. During the water crisis that started in Flint, Mich., in 2014 after the city changed its water source and officials failed to inform the public of water quality problems, many people became sick. The crisis was linked to the deaths of 12 people from Legionnaires’ disease.

After an outbreak at the North Carolina Mountain State Fair last September, 135 people contracted the disease and four died, according to the state’s department of health and human services. Investigators blamed a hot tub exhibit that sent Legionella through the air and was inhaled by passers-by.

Most worrying, Legionnaires’ disease tends to affect people with compromised immune systems.

“Covid patients and survivors could be more vulnerable to this, so when they go back to work we might be concerned about another infection,” said Caitlin Proctor, a postdoctoral fellow at Purdue who, along with Dr. Whelton conducted a study that has been accepted for publication in the journal AWWA Water Science examining risks from water stagnation during the coronavirus lockdown.

Once forming in a building’s plumbing, Legionella can be dispersed through the air when toilets are flushed. Even turning on taps, as employees wash their hands to limit the spread of the coronavirus, can send water droplets into the air that carry Legionella.

Typically, facilities managers reduce the risk of Legionella and other bacteria by pouring small amounts of disinfectant into a building’s water systems. But when the water is left stagnant for too long, the disinfectant disappears.

“Even just after a weekend, disinfectant can be gone in some buildings and the water is vulnerable to contamination,” Dr. Whelton said.

Facilities staff can also flush out old water and bring in a new and fresh supply. Or they can send a high dose of disinfectant through the building and raise temperatures to kill the microbes.

Shutdowns in the U.S. began in mid-March, meaning some buildings have now been closed for two months. And the researchers say that the consequences of long-term water stagnation are relatively unknown.

“We haven’t really done studies on monthslong stagnation,” said Dr. Proctor. “The ecological system may change. So while we’re looking at these organisms, maybe other organisms pop up.”

William Rudin, C.E.O. and co-chairman of Rudin Management Company which manages 16 commercial office buildings in New York, said his staff is being careful and cautious in their approach to reopening.

“Our engineers go through the building testing systems all the time,” he said. “That’s standard procedure.”

One problem for some property managers may be inconsistent and incomplete guidance from regulators and health authorities. Dr. Proctor and Dr. Whelton’s study assessed 21 sets of guidelines developed around the world since the pandemic began, including the C.D.C.’s and 11 from states and counties.

“Not all of the guidelines are created equal,” said Dr. Proctor. “The original C.D.C. guidelines only covered certain systems.”

Because the effects of long-term water stagnation are so little understood, most of the guidelines are based on preventive measures and may not directly address reopening after long-term shutdowns.

“They all go different ways,” said Michèle Prévost, a co-author of the study and the industrial chair of drinking water on the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. “It’s not ill-intended, there’s not that much evidence to guide our choices.”

Unfortunately many of the public health officials who would normally be tackling these issues and getting information out are currently focused on responding to the spread of the coronavirus.

“Health officials are overstretched and have conflicting information,” said David Dyjack, executive director of the National Environmental Health Association. “Health officials simply cannot keep up. Public health is being asked to do things it’s never had to do before.”

Even if only a small portion of buildings have problems, with so many reopening at once, the researchers fear there will be more outbreaks than usual.

“Not every building will have issues but based on what we know, enough of them probably will,” Dr. Proctor said.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/20/health/coronavirus-legionnaires-offices.html
Click to expand...

Another great example of not having a coordinated plan of action from the beginning to control this pandemic. Just another unexpected 'gift' of death and disease that keeps on giving.
 
crowonapost said:
Thanks for that link. It looks like as far as antibodies it may have to be a multi year or yearly thing. Even they indicated they do not have enough data on how long the antibodies last and so far the findings that naturally occur after infection only last about 3 months.
Now the T-cells is very promising. As a matter of fact it may come to be the biggest player of all in this whole thing.
Click to expand...

Yes, so much emphasis on anti-bodies when it's far more likely that killer T-cells will be the major player in fighting the virus.
 
crowonapost said:
Coordinated lock down works. We did it here in Illinois and we were one of the best at dealing with this... so far.

There will be no herd immunity. The new studies are showing that one cannot get lasting antibodies from this. At the most you got maybe 3 months. Then you can get re infected.
Each time you get the virus it can vary based on viral inoculum and the state of your immunity at that time. You can get it worse a second time depending on those two factors alone.
Finally each time you get it, it can vector in a different way because of it's ability to attach via the ACE-2 receptors. Receptors that are everywhere in the human body.
A recent study in Spain has shown a lot of neurological effects from this virus.

I agree with staggering schedules and the idea of social distancing but these are little not jobs we are talking about here. I think CPS here in Chicago is going to implement a 2 day a week schedule. It's something, not the best but it is an attempt to deal with this.

Of course states have individual needs and that's a good thing. Denial is not one of them, looking at you Florida, Texas, Georgia and Arizona.
Yes the Feds could have set metrics, coordinate testing and masks early on, they did not.
Click to expand...

It’s a novel virus so we don’t know enough about the virus and kids but we know herd immunity is out lol?

This late in the game, I think we know enough to say kids are resistant to it. Kids aren’t some sort of black hole we know nothing about—they are part of our population; they go around with their parents; they’ve even been sequestered with infected people. They just don’t get the COVID often and when they do their symptoms are almost always mild to nearly non-existent.

It can’t be that we have all this data on deaths from COVID and somehow *we’re not knowing* the risks for kids—apart from anecdotes, kids are absent from the data.

And speaking of what we don’t know: we don’t know the downstream effects of having kids out of school for multiple semesters. Apart from only being partially educated nearly all instances, kids are being separated from their peers and missing out on social development. Older kids in particular, will likely be susceptible to substance abuse since they have so much idle time on their hands. They are being deprived of sports and extracurricular activities.

How many of their parents will be forced to quit a job since they can’t afford to pay child care 12 months out of the year. Parents rely on schools to ‘watch their kids’ so they can be free to work. It’s been the American way for generations. That will effect women, primarily.

Too much of this mitigation looks ONLY at the virus and not at the unintended consequences of the mitigation itself and the country has paid a hefty price for it. Millions have lost their jobs, many businesses are gone and will never come back. Trust me when I say we are only beginning to see the social costs to all of that.

Time to stop the bleeding. Let the kids go back to school. No more gambling with and/or playing political games with their lives and futures.
 
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