Here is why we should close schools now.

[Anonymous]

Time to close MCPS.

We need to close this week of March 9th (for a duration as yet undetermined) to slow down the epidemic in our area in order to treat all patients as best we can.

We cannot afford to wait until testing comes back positive for hundreds of students. By that time, they will have greatly accelerated the viral spread and contaminated thousands of people. While most won’t take up a hospital bed, hospitals will be overwhelmed - they’re operating at capacity right now because of flu - and at-risk patients will die preventable deaths because they won’t be looked after properly.

Governments and business also need to operate at reduced capacity and encourage telework as much as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They will close schools and ask everyone who can self quarantine to do so to give authorities a chance to get ahead of this. To ensure that hospitals don't end up being overwhelmed by the elderly, ill and .02 percent of kids who will get serious complications. I predict schools are closed for three weeks, including spring break.

This will 100% not happen

[Anonymous]

For basically 95% of people it is a cold. Relax.

[Anonymous]

What?! There are many kids who only eat at school. There are many families who can’t afford child care or can’t stay at home.

[Anonymous]

Over 1600 people died in the H1N1 pandemic and there was not this kind of wig out. People need to calm the f^$k down.

[Anonymous]

I have no confidence that only closing schools will do anything significant. Yes kids spread germs, but unless a whole area is shut down, the virus will just continue through the adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For basically 95% of people it is a cold. Relax.

Agree.
It is less lethal than the flu. Do we close schools when there is the flu? No.

[Anonymous]

It’s not going to happen. It isn’t happening in other areas that have a lot more cases. Not every working parent can WFH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They will close schools and ask everyone who can self quarantine to do so to give authorities a chance to get ahead of this. To ensure that hospitals don't end up being overwhelmed by the elderly, ill and .02 percent of kids who will get serious complications. I predict schools are closed for three weeks, including spring break.

This will 100% not happen

This will only happen when a local healthcare system is on the brink of being overloaded. Not a minute before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What?! There are many kids who only eat at school. There are many families who can’t afford child care or can’t stay at home.

Curious. What do they do in the summer for meals?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What?! There are many kids who only eat at school. There are many families who can’t afford child care or can’t stay at home.

That is way less important than the certainty of thousands more deaths if schools don't close. People won't starve. They will find a way. MCPS has already said they would provide food. You can be fired from your job, scrounge around for food, but LIVE. Instead of keeping everything open and KILLING off the most vulnerable, as well as the ones who just happen to need hospitalization at that time for other reasons. Do you want to have a stroke right in the middle of a pandemic, PP? With what you're advocating, you won't make it. There won't be enough resources to go around.

You really need to wake up and understand how pandemics work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For basically 95% of people it is a cold. Relax.

Agree.
It is less lethal than the flu. Do we close schools when there is the flu? No.

It's much more lethal than the flu.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What?! There are many kids who only eat at school. There are many families who can’t afford child care or can’t stay at home.

Curious. What do they do in the summer for meals?

There are schools that are meal centers. My school had a daily bbq lunch from the day after school ended to the day before it began.

[Anonymous]

Plus, if their parents die, what a damn mess. Seriously!! My kids are all 18 and over, two have good jobs. They will be sad but fine. All those little ones though~~

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What?! There are many kids who only eat at school. There are many families who can’t afford child care or can’t stay at home.

so what do they do during the summer?