MCPS will now send kids home for ten days based on symptoms only

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve attempted to read through the many pages of this thread and am consulting the VERY confusing guidance from my school which does not in any way reference testing a symptomatic child - or even testing at all.

Questions I have that I’d love clarity on (sent these to my school’s principal with no response - yet):

1. If my unvaccinated child (ES) or a classmate have a designated symptom, are they tested at school or is it my responsibility to get them tested?

2. If it’s my responsibility (or parents’ responsibility) to test and my child has a NEGATIVE test, when can they return to school assuming they are not sick - e.g., no fever, diarrhea, vomiting, etc that even pre-Covid would warrant keeping kids home.

3. If my child has a positive test and stays home for 10 days, are they automatically allowed back in school assuming they are asymptomatic? Or do they need to test negative again? And who is responsible for the testing?


I’d value any insights PPs can share. It’s so frustrating that these basic questions aren’t clearly addressed. My school’s guidance literally doesn’t mention testing - the latest email came out yesterday evening.

They have no idea because they didn't bother to plan for this. Who could have known they might need to test some kids for Covid? https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/mcps-will-use-rapid-covid-19-tests-when-students-have-possible-symptoms/

Come on, now. These are unprecedented times. The pandemic is a rapidly changing situation and requires the flexibility to pivot. We are acting out of an abundance of caution and following the science.

IT'S BEEN 18 MONTHS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just want to point out they’re not even informing the school community when a class is quarantined for symptoms rather than a positive test. So it fuels the gossip train and creates a lot more confusion with the lack of transparency.

You are free and even encouraged to get a test.

What I meant was, if a third grade class is quarantined at my school and my child is in a different class, the school doesn’t even tell me there was a symptomatic situation in the building. Maybe my child played with the child at recess, maybe the kid vomited in the art room and my kid was in there the next period. Maybe I would get a test if I were informed!

I know of one family that was informed a fifth grader who tested positive sat at the same table as their fifth grader. So at least some are getting more details.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve attempted to read through the many pages of this thread and am consulting the VERY confusing guidance from my school which does not in any way reference testing a symptomatic child - or even testing at all.

Questions I have that I’d love clarity on (sent these to my school’s principal with no response - yet):

1. If my unvaccinated child (ES) or a classmate have a designated symptom, are they tested at school or is it my responsibility to get them tested?

2. If it’s my responsibility (or parents’ responsibility) to test and my child has a NEGATIVE test, when can they return to school assuming they are not sick - e.g., no fever, diarrhea, vomiting, etc that even pre-Covid would warrant keeping kids home.

3. If my child has a positive test and stays home for 10 days, are they automatically allowed back in school assuming they are asymptomatic? Or do they need to test negative again? And who is responsible for the testing?


I’d value any insights PPs can share. It’s so frustrating that these basic questions aren’t clearly addressed. My school’s guidance literally doesn’t mention testing - the latest email came out yesterday evening.

They have no idea because they didn't bother to plan for this. Who could have known they might need to test some kids for Covid? https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/mcps-will-use-rapid-covid-19-tests-when-students-have-possible-symptoms/

Come on, now. These are unprecedented times. The pandemic is a rapidly changing situation and requires the flexibility to pivot. We are acting out of an abundance of caution and following the science.

Gayles is explicitly not “following the science”, unless he somehow has superior knowledge to the CDC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve attempted to read through the many pages of this thread and am consulting the VERY confusing guidance from my school which does not in any way reference testing a symptomatic child - or even testing at all.

Questions I have that I’d love clarity on (sent these to my school’s principal with no response - yet):

1. If my unvaccinated child (ES) or a classmate have a designated symptom, are they tested at school or is it my responsibility to get them tested?

2. If it’s my responsibility (or parents’ responsibility) to test and my child has a NEGATIVE test, when can they return to school assuming they are not sick - e.g., no fever, diarrhea, vomiting, etc that even pre-Covid would warrant keeping kids home.

3. If my child has a positive test and stays home for 10 days, are they automatically allowed back in school assuming they are asymptomatic? Or do they need to test negative again? And who is responsible for the testing?


I’d value any insights PPs can share. It’s so frustrating that these basic questions aren’t clearly addressed. My school’s guidance literally doesn’t mention testing - the latest email came out yesterday evening.

They have no idea because they didn't bother to plan for this. Who could have known they might need to test some kids for Covid? https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/mcps-will-use-rapid-covid-19-tests-when-students-have-possible-symptoms/

Come on, now. These are unprecedented times. The pandemic is a rapidly changing situation and requires the flexibility to pivot. We are acting out of an abundance of caution and following the science.

IT'S BEEN 18 MONTHS

This is PP. I was being bitterly sarcastic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve attempted to read through the many pages of this thread and am consulting the VERY confusing guidance from my school which does not in any way reference testing a symptomatic child - or even testing at all.

Questions I have that I’d love clarity on (sent these to my school’s principal with no response - yet):

1. If my unvaccinated child (ES) or a classmate have a designated symptom, are they tested at school or is it my responsibility to get them tested?

2. If it’s my responsibility (or parents’ responsibility) to test and my child has a NEGATIVE test, when can they return to school assuming they are not sick - e.g., no fever, diarrhea, vomiting, etc that even pre-Covid would warrant keeping kids home.

3. If my child has a positive test and stays home for 10 days, are they automatically allowed back in school assuming they are asymptomatic? Or do they need to test negative again? And who is responsible for the testing?


I’d value any insights PPs can share. It’s so frustrating that these basic questions aren’t clearly addressed. My school’s guidance literally doesn’t mention testing - the latest email came out yesterday evening.

They have no idea because they didn't bother to plan for this. Who could have known they might need to test some kids for Covid? https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/mcps-will-use-rapid-covid-19-tests-when-students-have-possible-symptoms/

Come on, now. These are unprecedented times. The pandemic is a rapidly changing situation and requires the flexibility to pivot. We are acting out of an abundance of caution and following the science.

Gayles is explicitly not “following the science”, unless he somehow has superior knowledge to the CDC.

He's so full of himself he thinks the CDC guidelines are "political" and therefore he's right to flout them.

[Anonymous]

We need another thread about effects of the new policy. This is one is too unwieldy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apparently the new “guidance” confirms what we’ve been hearing. If a child has “symptoms” associated with COVID (could be a runny nose) their close contacts (this has been interpreted as the entire class in many schools) are quarantined for ten days.

This is completely ludicrous and not based in science or CDC guidelines.

NOT with the new rapid tests that will be given to all schools by the end of the week.
Kids with symptoms can be rapid tested.

Only if their parents opt in. If they don’t, this will continue to happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve attempted to read through the many pages of this thread and am consulting the VERY confusing guidance from my school which does not in any way reference testing a symptomatic child - or even testing at all.

Questions I have that I’d love clarity on (sent these to my school’s principal with no response - yet):

1. If my unvaccinated child (ES) or a classmate have a designated symptom, are they tested at school or is it my responsibility to get them tested?

2. If it’s my responsibility (or parents’ responsibility) to test and my child has a NEGATIVE test, when can they return to school assuming they are not sick - e.g., no fever, diarrhea, vomiting, etc that even pre-Covid would warrant keeping kids home.

3. If my child has a positive test and stays home for 10 days, are they automatically allowed back in school assuming they are asymptomatic? Or do they need to test negative again? And who is responsible for the testing?


I’d value any insights PPs can share. It’s so frustrating that these basic questions aren’t clearly addressed. My school’s guidance literally doesn’t mention testing - the latest email came out yesterday evening.

They have no idea because they didn't bother to plan for this. Who could have known they might need to test some kids for Covid? https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/mcps-will-use-rapid-covid-19-tests-when-students-have-possible-symptoms/

Come on, now. These are unprecedented times. The pandemic is a rapidly changing situation and requires the flexibility to pivot. We are acting out of an abundance of caution and following the science.

How is it following the science if nobody at the federal or state level, or medical organizations, advises that? That is called making up science. "Following the science" is such a hollow phrase thrown around at convenience.

[Anonymous]

This blog just posted the actual case numbers as reported by the boe.

https://www.facebook.com/100063712594468/posts/242010197932732/?d=n

The original tweet is here

https://twitter.com/ramirezreports/status/1436035104112091137

I tried to embed but could not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This blog just posted the actual case numbers as reported by the boe.

https://www.facebook.com/100063712594468/posts/242010197932732/?d=n

The original tweet is here

https://twitter.com/ramirezreports/status/1436035104112091137

I tried to embed but could not.

That's a lot better than I would've imagined. Seems like MCPS is doing something right.

[Anonymous]

Are these numbers saying that nominally 80percent of the suspected cases are actually covid? Or something along the lines of 50%? Either seems kind of high honestly, but I'm finding these numbers problematic.

Actually, after thinking about it for 30 seconds, I wonder if they have results for all those kids and /or are counting ones without results of a covid test for a certain amount of time as actually being covid.
Open to the fact that these numbers could be correct, but it just sounds super fishy to me. Like super super fishy. And I am. I conspiracy theorist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are these numbers saying that nominally 80percent of the suspected cases are actually covid? Or something along the lines of 50%? Either seems kind of high honestly, but I'm finding these numbers problematic.

Actually, after thinking about it for 30 seconds, I wonder if they have results for all those kids and /or are counting ones without results of a covid test for a certain amount of time as actually being covid.
Open to the fact that these numbers could be correct, but it just sounds super fishy to me. Like super super fishy. And I am. I conspiracy theorist

I'm **NO** conspiracy theorist. Sorry for the typo

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are these numbers saying that nominally 80percent of the suspected cases are actually covid? Or something along the lines of 50%? Either seems kind of high honestly, but I'm finding these numbers problematic.

Actually, after thinking about it for 30 seconds, I wonder if they have results for all those kids and /or are counting ones without results of a covid test for a certain amount of time as actually being covid.
Open to the fact that these numbers could be correct, but it just sounds super fishy to me. Like super super fishy. And I am. I conspiracy theorist

I'm **NO** conspiracy theorist. Sorry for the typo

Yeah I agree- also my quick math says that's an average of 16 "close contacts" per positive case. So can we presume the whole class was considered close contacts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are these numbers saying that nominally 80percent of the suspected cases are actually covid? Or something along the lines of 50%? Either seems kind of high honestly, but I'm finding these numbers problematic.

Actually, after thinking about it for 30 seconds, I wonder if they have results for all those kids and /or are counting ones without results of a covid test for a certain amount of time as actually being covid.
Open to the fact that these numbers could be correct, but it just sounds super fishy to me. Like super super fishy. And I am. I conspiracy theorist

I'm **NO** conspiracy theorist. Sorry for the typo

Yeah I agree- also my quick math says that's an average of 16 "close contacts" per positive case. So can we presume the whole class was considered close contacts?

I am not aware of any situations in which the whole class wasn't quarantined. One thing they said in the BOE meeting today is that principals are in charge of contact tracing. And it is much easier for them to quarantine a whole class--in addition to not having to make calls on who was sitting where, it also means that they don't need to find anyone to teach virtually to the class. When a full class is quarantined, the teacher has to teach everyone virtually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are these numbers saying that nominally 80percent of the suspected cases are actually covid? Or something along the lines of 50%? Either seems kind of high honestly, but I'm finding these numbers problematic.

Actually, after thinking about it for 30 seconds, I wonder if they have results for all those kids and /or are counting ones without results of a covid test for a certain amount of time as actually being covid.
Open to the fact that these numbers could be correct, but it just sounds super fishy to me. Like super super fishy. And I am. I conspiracy theorist

I'm **NO** conspiracy theorist. Sorry for the typo

Yeah I agree- also my quick math says that's an average of 16 "close contacts" per positive case. So can we presume the whole class was considered close contacts?

I am not aware of any situations in which the whole class wasn't quarantined. One thing they said in the BOE meeting today is that principals are in charge of contact tracing. And it is much easier for them to quarantine a whole class--in addition to not having to make calls on who was sitting where, it also means that they don't need to find anyone to teach virtually to the class. When a full class is quarantined, the teacher has to teach everyone virtually.

This has been my thought as to why entire classes are quarantined.