Chap Petersen mask letter from 2/8 to FCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop with all political phrasing and capitalization like “Forced Masking” and “Forever Maskers.” It’s such political BS and is tearing apart our community. No one wants to mask forever. Some people want science-based end to masking instead of “parent’s rights” political strategy. We also want schools to stay in person and not close due to staffing shortages if there is another highly contagious variant.

+1

[Anonymous]

True to his word, Chap has an ammendment to Dunnavant's new in-person law to remove mask mandates.

C. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or any regulation, rule, or policy implemented by a school board, school division, school official, or other state or local authority, the parent of any child enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school, or in any school-based early childhood care and education program, may elect for such child to not wear a mask while on school property. A parent making such an election shall not be required to provide a reason or any certification of the child's health or education status. No student shall suffer any adverse disciplinary or academic consequences as a result of this parental election.

(https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?221+sum+SB739)

Bill has already made it to the Senate floor, past the D controlled education sub-committee. It does not have an emergency clause (which requires 2/3 vote to pass), so it will not go into effect until July. Like SB 1303 last year it may send a message about what should be done, though.

Unlike last year when Del. VanValkenberg changed SB 1303 and added all the loopholes, I don't see the House making this one weaker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Chap should just switch parties and get it over with. I'm so tired of him masquerading as a D. His anti-mask, anti-vax, pro-gun position is wearing thin. Is there no D in FFX that can run against him?

+1

I've heard Sean Perryman (unsuccessful Lt. Gov. candidate) wants to run against him. If you love Pat Hynes and Karen Keys Gamarra, Sean's your guy. Otherwise, you might look elsewhere.

Oh good, I was worried his primary challenger would have a strong chance against him.

Perryman seems like a nice enough guy, but VA voters weren't too kind to progressives last primary.

LOL perryman. Dude only got 8 percent statewide and 10 percent in Fairfax, and that was after racking in all the Fairfax endorsements from McKay, Bulova, and others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Covid numbers in schools mirrors community spread. If you want your kids to go to school safely, then you have to not eat indoors, travel on holiday, go to sporting events, go to the gym or go to parties. No one I know is willing to stop doing that - even if they strongly support mask mandates. It makes no sense.

Actually, I do all of those things.

Got take out for my bday last week. Haven't eaten in a restaurant since ???..... early September, I think.
Family stayed home for Xmas.
Don't go to sporting events. No reason to go.
Stopped going to the gym in November. Haven't been back yet. Would like to go back when things are a little lower.
Haven't been to a party or inside anyone's home since ??? can't remember, it's been too long.

And I do want masks for a few more weeks. I was an early-adopter of dropping masks last summer. I was ready to drop masks in October -- but didn't b/c of the social pressure. But, with Omicron still spreading... I'm waiting a bit more before thinking that my kids should be unmasked in school. We are all boosted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even cautious Bob Watcher says it makes sense to unmask in school.

Actually, he says "pretty darn soon." So he's not stomping his feet and insisting that masks must be dropped RIGHT NOW!!!!! He's leaving open the option that we are not there yet, but will be soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with all political phrasing and capitalization like “Forced Masking” and “Forever Maskers.” It’s such political BS and is tearing apart our community. No one wants to mask forever. Some people want science-based end to masking instead of “parent’s rights” political strategy. We also want schools to stay in person and not close due to staffing shortages if there is another highly contagious variant.

There never will be "science based" end to masking because there always will be respiratory viruses dangerous for the vulnerable and they had always been. Covid is endemic at this point, but it will keep coming back every season with flu and colds. If we want to be "science based" and cannot allow any vulnerable person at all to contract these easily communicable diseases then we should mask every single year for about 5 months. I know many of you are ready for this and would approve. But many of us don't want any of this and tired of hypocricy when none of you mask crazies ever cared about sending your sick kids to school all these years before Covid knowing very well that flu and colds and strep and other viruses do kill vulnerable people who could live in the same households.

No it isn't. It's still classified as a pandemic.

Where do people get the idea that it is endemic? Endemic viruses don't cause 10K deaths daily worldwide. When was the last time a COLD caused 2000 daily US deaths and 70 deaths in kids under 18 in one month alone?

Places with high vaccination rates are declaring it endemic. See: Denmark.

Vaccination is and always be the only way to move SARS COV2 to endemic as other COV viruses are. Denmark may be slightly premature in lifting their pandemic precautions. Their vaccine up take is only 80%, though that may be enough.

In the US, and Northern Virginia, we are not at that 80% at all, unfortunately.

As of today, Fairfax County is at 79.4%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with all political phrasing and capitalization like “Forced Masking” and “Forever Maskers.” It’s such political BS and is tearing apart our community. No one wants to mask forever. Some people want science-based end to masking instead of “parent’s rights” political strategy. We also want schools to stay in person and not close due to staffing shortages if there is another highly contagious variant.

There never will be "science based" end to masking because there always will be respiratory viruses dangerous for the vulnerable and they had always been. Covid is endemic at this point, but it will keep coming back every season with flu and colds. If we want to be "science based" and cannot allow any vulnerable person at all to contract these easily communicable diseases then we should mask every single year for about 5 months. I know many of you are ready for this and would approve. But many of us don't want any of this and tired of hypocricy when none of you mask crazies ever cared about sending your sick kids to school all these years before Covid knowing very well that flu and colds and strep and other viruses do kill vulnerable people who could live in the same households.

No it isn't. It's still classified as a pandemic.

Where do people get the idea that it is endemic? Endemic viruses don't cause 10K deaths daily worldwide. When was the last time a COLD caused 2000 daily US deaths and 70 deaths in kids under 18 in one month alone?

Places with high vaccination rates are declaring it endemic. See: Denmark.

Vaccination is and always be the only way to move SARS COV2 to endemic as other COV viruses are. Denmark may be slightly premature in lifting their pandemic precautions. Their vaccine up take is only 80%, though that may be enough.

In the US, and Northern Virginia, we are not at that 80% at all, unfortunately.

As of today, Fairfax County is at 79.4%.

The vaccination rate for MS students is right at 80%. For HS students, it is higher, but in the low-80%. The problem is the elementary school kids -- it's only about 40% with 2 doses. That's what they need to work on. Let the MS and HS kids un-mask, and tell the ES parents that their kids can un-mask when vaccination rate reaches 80%. Then set up vaccination clinics.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with all political phrasing and capitalization like “Forced Masking” and “Forever Maskers.” It’s such political BS and is tearing apart our community. No one wants to mask forever. Some people want science-based end to masking instead of “parent’s rights” political strategy. We also want schools to stay in person and not close due to staffing shortages if there is another highly contagious variant.

There never will be "science based" end to masking because there always will be respiratory viruses dangerous for the vulnerable and they had always been. Covid is endemic at this point, but it will keep coming back every season with flu and colds. If we want to be "science based" and cannot allow any vulnerable person at all to contract these easily communicable diseases then we should mask every single year for about 5 months. I know many of you are ready for this and would approve. But many of us don't want any of this and tired of hypocricy when none of you mask crazies ever cared about sending your sick kids to school all these years before Covid knowing very well that flu and colds and strep and other viruses do kill vulnerable people who could live in the same households.

No it isn't. It's still classified as a pandemic.

Where do people get the idea that it is endemic? Endemic viruses don't cause 10K deaths daily worldwide. When was the last time a COLD caused 2000 daily US deaths and 70 deaths in kids under 18 in one month alone?

Places with high vaccination rates are declaring it endemic. See: Denmark.

Vaccination is and always be the only way to move SARS COV2 to endemic as other COV viruses are. Denmark may be slightly premature in lifting their pandemic precautions. Their vaccine up take is only 80%, though that may be enough.

In the US, and Northern Virginia, we are not at that 80% at all, unfortunately.

As of today, Fairfax County is at 79.4%.

The vaccination rate for MS students is right at 80%. For HS students, it is higher, but in the low-80%. The problem is the elementary school kids -- it's only about 40% with 2 doses. That's what they need to work on. Let the MS and HS kids un-mask, and tell the ES parents that their kids can un-mask when vaccination rate reaches 80%. Then set up vaccination clinics.

In MD if the county as a whole hits 80% then it doesn't matter what the rate in schools is.

As ever, the best way to protect unvaccinated kids is to surround them with vaccinated adults. My ES kids are vaccinated, but I don't worry about the other kids at school or about those other kids being around me. Our vaccines protect us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even cautious Bob Watcher says it makes sense to unmask in school.

Actually, he says "pretty darn soon." So he's not stomping his feet and insisting that masks must be dropped RIGHT NOW!!!!! He's leaving open the option that we are not there yet, but will be soon.

Well it’ll take some time for any legislative fix to work its way through so not sure why you’re getting so hyped up about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with all political phrasing and capitalization like “Forced Masking” and “Forever Maskers.” It’s such political BS and is tearing apart our community. No one wants to mask forever. Some people want science-based end to masking instead of “parent’s rights” political strategy. We also want schools to stay in person and not close due to staffing shortages if there is another highly contagious variant.

+1

It's more a question of math now than science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a constituent and this is outrageous. He has no right to give covid to my unvaccinated 2 year old, which is what will certainly happen if my elementary schooler is around unmasked children. I will actively support any primary challenger he faces. Masks protect people and are just not a big deal!

Vax and mask your kids if you want to. No one is trying to stop you.

Unfortunately, I cannot vaccinate my two year old. That is the issue. Until everyone who wants a vaccine can have one, we must wear masks. Once there is a vaccine for those under 5, we may be able to reevaluate.

The science says that your unvaccinated two year-old does not face any material risk from Covid. You can also still have him/her wear a mask (and there are plenty of recent studies confirming the protective effect of one-way masking). Presumably, he/she also goes many places where masks aren't required already -- grocery store, mall, etc.

Actually, no. We don't take our children shopping with us. Why take the risk?

Because if you go shopping you are at risk of bringing covid home to your kids.

Wow, voices from April 2020.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

What happens if we have some other new virus emerge? Can schools ever require masks again? Or is there language to protect schools in cases of emergency?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with all political phrasing and capitalization like “Forced Masking” and “Forever Maskers.” It’s such political BS and is tearing apart our community. No one wants to mask forever. Some people want science-based end to masking instead of “parent’s rights” political strategy. We also want schools to stay in person and not close due to staffing shortages if there is another highly contagious variant.

+1

x1 billion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What happens if we have some other new virus emerge? Can schools ever require masks again? Or is there language to protect schools in cases of emergency?

There is in HB1036, another anti-mandate bill, but the ammendment to SB739 has no caveat. However the governor has broad emergency powers and maybe could overrule this temporarily.

That said, I think Chap in this case is swayed by the fact that we have low evidence that school masks mandates work (per, say, the EU's CDC's own school mitigation measure guidance), so even in the case of a new variant a mask mandate won't do much good. Families and teachers can still mask up in the face of some strange airborne virus under this law.