Should we prepare for virtual schooling starting in January?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 3 vaccines, 2 oral covid treatments, monoclonal antibodies. The overall rate of death before vaccines was 2%, and now with vaccines and treatments it’s expected to decrease. Things are looking up and those unvaccinated hospitalized are very unlikely to die.

Now tell us how many of those work on Omicron?

Pfizer and Moderna released data that 3 doses are equally effective at producing neutralizing antibodies against Onicron as other variants .So 2 of the 3 vaccines are effective? Is that what you are asking? South Africa discovered Onicron on November 25 and today they released information that the majority of their deaths and hospitalizations have been in unvaccinated, and that they are over the wave after 3 week. But you keep on imagining doom and gloom. Good luck to you !

How can they release data when the variant is brand new and hasn't been around long enough to study? There are multiple studies with very different information. And, its not just about hospitalizations and deaths to some of us. Many of us don't want to get covid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 3 vaccines, 2 oral covid treatments, monoclonal antibodies. The overall rate of death before vaccines was 2%, and now with vaccines and treatments it’s expected to decrease. Things are looking up and those unvaccinated hospitalized are very unlikely to die.

The great covid denier. Kids in MCPS don't have 3 vaccines. Some only have one, a few who are in prek have none. And, not everyone has access to covid treatments. Must be nice to have good health care. This variant is much more contagious. It is less symptomatic but its not looking up. Not for a long time.

3 vaccine Pfizer, Moderna, J and J. Reading comprehension is not strong in this one. Everyone hospitalized has access to COVID treatments. There is a lot on MD Dept of Health website of hospitals offering monoclonal antibodies .South Africa is over the wave after 3 weeks, they did not see an increase in hospitalizations compared to other waves. But you clearily do not believe in science so not sure if any of this info is going to stick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t make sense though. If people are vaccinated in our area especially then why not keep the schools open? Even the 5-11 can get vaccinated, if there is no real threat of death because of vaccine protection then why cause so much disruption?

It doesn’t make sense because you aren’t paying attention.

Vaccines keep you alive but people are still getting sick and having long term issues. Many kids have unvaccinated younger siblings or elderly grandparents at home. Nobody wants Covid - vaccinated or not

You have to know this stuff.

3/4 of currently hospitalized 1204 patients are unvaccinated. The other 1/4 did not get boosters or had preexisting conditions. Same time last year we had over 2000 hospitalized patients. You can check that in NYT tables. Let families decide their own risk/benefit. The majority of people are protected and are willing to take the risk. If you want virtual, ask to be moved to virtual academy. If you are already in virtual academy, there is no reason for you to post.

Many virtual kids are still in outside activities so if your kids get it in MCPS and come to the same activities, it puts our kids at risk. See how that works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 3 vaccines, 2 oral covid treatments, monoclonal antibodies. The overall rate of death before vaccines was 2%, and now with vaccines and treatments it’s expected to decrease. Things are looking up and those unvaccinated hospitalized are very unlikely to die.

Now tell us how many of those work on Omicron?

Pfizer and Moderna released data that 3 doses are equally effective at producing neutralizing antibodies against Onicron as other variants .So 2 of the 3 vaccines are effective? Is that what you are asking? South Africa discovered Onicron on November 25 and today they released information that the majority of their deaths and hospitalizations have been in unvaccinated, and that they are over the wave after 3 week. But you keep on imagining doom and gloom. Good luck to you !

How can they release data when the variant is brand new and hasn't been around long enough to study? There are multiple studies with very different information. And, its not just about hospitalizations and deaths to some of us. Many of us don't want to get covid.

They take serum from people vaccinated with two doses vs 3 doses and then check it for production of neutralizing antibodies after exposure to Onicron. Is that what you are asking, sweetie?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t make sense though. If people are vaccinated in our area especially then why not keep the schools open? Even the 5-11 can get vaccinated, if there is no real threat of death because of vaccine protection then why cause so much disruption?

It doesn’t make sense because you aren’t paying attention.

Vaccines keep you alive but people are still getting sick and having long term issues. Many kids have unvaccinated younger siblings or elderly grandparents at home. Nobody wants Covid - vaccinated or not

You have to know this stuff.

3/4 of currently hospitalized 1204 patients are unvaccinated. The other 1/4 did not get boosters or had preexisting conditions. Same time last year we had over 2000 hospitalized patients. You can check that in NYT tables. Let families decide their own risk/benefit. The majority of people are protected and are willing to take the risk. If you want virtual, ask to be moved to virtual academy. If you are already in virtual academy, there is no reason for you to post.

Many virtual kids are still in outside activities so if your kids get it in MCPS and come to the same activities, it puts our kids at risk. See how that works.

Take your kids out of activities based on your risk/benefit analysis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t make sense though. If people are vaccinated in our area especially then why not keep the schools open? Even the 5-11 can get vaccinated, if there is no real threat of death because of vaccine protection then why cause so much disruption?

It doesn’t make sense because you aren’t paying attention.

Vaccines keep you alive but people are still getting sick and having long term issues. Many kids have unvaccinated younger siblings or elderly grandparents at home. Nobody wants Covid - vaccinated or not

You have to know this stuff.

3/4 of currently hospitalized 1204 patients are unvaccinated. The other 1/4 did not get boosters or had preexisting conditions. Same time last year we had over 2000 hospitalized patients. You can check that in NYT tables. Let families decide their own risk/benefit. The majority of people are protected and are willing to take the risk. If you want virtual, ask to be moved to virtual academy. If you are already in virtual academy, there is no reason for you to post.

Or, those 1/4 were healthy and unlucky. Just because you get a booster, it does not mean you are immune from covid.

Well, Dr Atlas said they had preexisting conditions but you believe what you want to believe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 3 vaccines, 2 oral covid treatments, monoclonal antibodies. The overall rate of death before vaccines was 2%, and now with vaccines and treatments it’s expected to decrease. Things are looking up and those unvaccinated hospitalized are very unlikely to die.

Now tell us how many of those work on Omicron?

Pfizer and Moderna released data that 3 doses are equally effective at producing neutralizing antibodies against Onicron as other variants .So 2 of the 3 vaccines are effective? Is that what you are asking? South Africa discovered Onicron on November 25 and today they released information that the majority of their deaths and hospitalizations have been in unvaccinated, and that they are over the wave after 3 week. But you keep on imagining doom and gloom. Good luck to you !

How can they release data when the variant is brand new and hasn't been around long enough to study? There are multiple studies with very different information. And, its not just about hospitalizations and deaths to some of us. Many of us don't want to get covid.

Then adjust your life accordingly.

[Anonymous]

NPR says no to large disruptions:


https://www.npr.org/2021/12/18/1065268674/covid-omicron-cases-ashish-jha

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 3 vaccines, 2 oral covid treatments, monoclonal antibodies. The overall rate of death before vaccines was 2%, and now with vaccines and treatments it’s expected to decrease. Things are looking up and those unvaccinated hospitalized are very unlikely to die.

Now tell us how many of those work on Omicron?

Pfizer and Moderna released data that 3 doses are equally effective at producing neutralizing antibodies against Onicron as other variants .So 2 of the 3 vaccines are effective? Is that what you are asking? South Africa discovered Onicron on November 25 and today they released information that the majority of their deaths and hospitalizations have been in unvaccinated, and that they are over the wave after 3 week. But you keep on imagining doom and gloom. Good luck to you !

How can they release data when the variant is brand new and hasn't been around long enough to study? There are multiple studies with very different information. And, its not just about hospitalizations and deaths to some of us. Many of us don't want to get covid.

Too bad. Everybody gets to take a turn at some point.

"I have a PhD in virology and 20+ years of experience in viral immunology. Everyone will get COVID. Continuing to pretend otherwise simply does massive harm to society while we deny the obvious."

https://twitter.com/DrScottBalsitis/status/1472085479281475586

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 3 vaccines, 2 oral covid treatments, monoclonal antibodies. The overall rate of death before vaccines was 2%, and now with vaccines and treatments it’s expected to decrease. Things are looking up and those unvaccinated hospitalized are very unlikely to die.

Now tell us how many of those work on Omicron?

Pfizer and Moderna released data that 3 doses are equally effective at producing neutralizing antibodies against Onicron as other variants .So 2 of the 3 vaccines are effective? Is that what you are asking? South Africa discovered Onicron on November 25 and today they released information that the majority of their deaths and hospitalizations have been in unvaccinated, and that they are over the wave after 3 week. But you keep on imagining doom and gloom. Good luck to you !

How can they release data when the variant is brand new and hasn't been around long enough to study? There are multiple studies with very different information. And, its not just about hospitalizations and deaths to some of us. Many of us don't want to get covid.

Too bad. Everybody gets to take a turn at some point.

"I have a PhD in virology and 20+ years of experience in viral immunology. Everyone will get COVID. Continuing to pretend otherwise simply does massive harm to society while we deny the obvious."

https://twitter.com/DrScottBalsitis/status/1472085479281475586

BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME.

That virologist is stupid, to not comment on that crucial point when he makes his perfectly accurate remark. If everyone is positive within a short period of time, hospitals get overwhelmed and patients die who could otherwise have lived - and not just the Covid patients. Your car accident injuries won't get treated in time, perhaps. Your stroke will leave you permanently disabled because you were left ER for days waiting for an ICU bed.

But unless this happens to them personally, some people will never accept the role they've played into killing or maiming other people for life. They will spread Covid joyfully and boast it was nothing by sniffles while people can't get quality care in the hospital and medical staff are traumatized by overwork.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t make sense though. If people are vaccinated in our area especially then why not keep the schools open? Even the 5-11 can get vaccinated, if there is no real threat of death because of vaccine protection then why cause so much disruption?

It doesn’t make sense because you aren’t paying attention.

Vaccines keep you alive but people are still getting sick and having long term issues. Many kids have unvaccinated younger siblings or elderly grandparents at home. Nobody wants Covid - vaccinated or not

You have to know this stuff.

3/4 of currently hospitalized 1204 patients are unvaccinated. The other 1/4 did not get boosters or had preexisting conditions. Same time last year we had over 2000 hospitalized patients. You can check that in NYT tables. Let families decide their own risk/benefit. The majority of people are protected and are willing to take the risk. If you want virtual, ask to be moved to virtual academy. If you are already in virtual academy, there is no reason for you to post.

Many virtual kids are still in outside activities so if your kids get it in MCPS and come to the same activities, it puts our kids at risk. See how that works.

Take your kids out of activities based on your risk/benefit analysis.

Seriously. If you feel so strongly about being virtual then you shouldn't be doing those activities either.

Like my co-worker who complains that coming to work is too dangerous (when she drives, doesn't take mass transit, and everyone in the office is vaccinated, masked and has their own office with a door they can shut), but has her kids in multiple after-school activities and is going on vacations that require plane travel because "the kids need normalcy." I'm on board with the kids needing normalcy, but it's bizarre that she thinks that coming to work is what's going to raise her covid exposure risk and by proxy her kids'. As opposed to, you know, her kids direct gathering with friends, or the vacation to crowded places.

Being in school, masked -- which at least the elementary school my kids go to are -- is probably one of the safer things risk-wise that lots of kids are doing right now. Very few people are actually isolating. When they're not in school they are doing everything. So it makes no sense to shut down schools; transmission has been and will occur outside them.

My preschooler had an actual covid case in his class - confirmed positive, kid was symptomatic in class for 3 days that week before testing positive - and guess what, none of the 15 kids caught it. Because they mask religiously. Masks work better than anything else, and it kills me that all the people screaming on here are willing to shut down a major institution like schools rather than work to keep them open and adjust outside behavior.

But it's pretty clear by now that outside behavior isn't going to be adjusted on a large scale. Think of it like voting with your feet. The people are saying they want to live their lives, unmasked apparently, and don't give a sh&t if that means covid numbers increase. So be it. Don't make the school kids suffer as a result. Schools should stay open like everything else. If individual parents don't want to send their kids, they don't have to. Just like it's always been.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 3 vaccines, 2 oral covid treatments, monoclonal antibodies. The overall rate of death before vaccines was 2%, and now with vaccines and treatments it’s expected to decrease. Things are looking up and those unvaccinated hospitalized are very unlikely to die.

Now tell us how many of those work on Omicron?

Pfizer and Moderna released data that 3 doses are equally effective at producing neutralizing antibodies against Onicron as other variants .So 2 of the 3 vaccines are effective? Is that what you are asking? South Africa discovered Onicron on November 25 and today they released information that the majority of their deaths and hospitalizations have been in unvaccinated, and that they are over the wave after 3 week. But you keep on imagining doom and gloom. Good luck to you !

How can they release data when the variant is brand new and hasn't been around long enough to study? There are multiple studies with very different information. And, its not just about hospitalizations and deaths to some of us. Many of us don't want to get covid.

Too bad. Everybody gets to take a turn at some point.

"I have a PhD in virology and 20+ years of experience in viral immunology. Everyone will get COVID. Continuing to pretend otherwise simply does massive harm to society while we deny the obvious."

https://twitter.com/DrScottBalsitis/status/1472085479281475586

BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME.

That virologist is stupid, to not comment on that crucial point when he makes his perfectly accurate remark. If everyone is positive within a short period of time, hospitals get overwhelmed and patients die who could otherwise have lived - and not just the Covid patients. Your car accident injuries won't get treated in time, perhaps. Your stroke will leave you permanently disabled because you were left ER for days waiting for an ICU bed.

But unless this happens to them personally, some people will never accept the role they've played into killing or maiming other people for life. They will spread Covid joyfully and boast it was nothing by sniffles while people can't get quality care in the hospital and medical staff are traumatized by overwork.

This time, you're not going to be able to meaningfully spread out infections over time in a way that prevents the scenario you're describing. The US government (federal, state, and local) have collectively yawned. It's going to burn through fast, and hospitals will suffer for a time being. You can pontificate that we can stop it from happening, but it's not really possible this go around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 3 vaccines, 2 oral covid treatments, monoclonal antibodies. The overall rate of death before vaccines was 2%, and now with vaccines and treatments it’s expected to decrease. Things are looking up and those unvaccinated hospitalized are very unlikely to die.

Now tell us how many of those work on Omicron?

Pfizer and Moderna released data that 3 doses are equally effective at producing neutralizing antibodies against Onicron as other variants .So 2 of the 3 vaccines are effective? Is that what you are asking? South Africa discovered Onicron on November 25 and today they released information that the majority of their deaths and hospitalizations have been in unvaccinated, and that they are over the wave after 3 week. But you keep on imagining doom and gloom. Good luck to you !

How can they release data when the variant is brand new and hasn't been around long enough to study? There are multiple studies with very different information. And, its not just about hospitalizations and deaths to some of us. Many of us don't want to get covid.

Too bad. Everybody gets to take a turn at some point.

"I have a PhD in virology and 20+ years of experience in viral immunology. Everyone will get COVID. Continuing to pretend otherwise simply does massive harm to society while we deny the obvious."

https://twitter.com/DrScottBalsitis/status/1472085479281475586

BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME.

That virologist is stupid, to not comment on that crucial point when he makes his perfectly accurate remark. If everyone is positive within a short period of time, hospitals get overwhelmed and patients die who could otherwise have lived - and not just the Covid patients. Your car accident injuries won't get treated in time, perhaps. Your stroke will leave you permanently disabled because you were left ER for days waiting for an ICU bed.

But unless this happens to them personally, some people will never accept the role they've played into killing or maiming other people for life. They will spread Covid joyfully and boast it was nothing by sniffles while people can't get quality care in the hospital and medical staff are traumatized by overwork.

This time, you're not going to be able to meaningfully spread out infections over time in a way that prevents the scenario you're describing. The US government (federal, state, and local) have collectively yawned. It's going to burn through fast, and hospitals will suffer for a time being. You can pontificate that we can stop it from happening, but it's not really possible this go around.

We've heard that before.

South Africa's hospitals did fine. Ours will too, just as they gave throughout the pandemic, despite regular calls for hysteria.

[Anonymous]

I feel bad about the risk to teachers. My husband and I get to work from home. I would not want to be working in packed schools right now. Some of them probably have underlying conditions. We need to prioritize kids but it cannot be just all about the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 3 vaccines, 2 oral covid treatments, monoclonal antibodies. The overall rate of death before vaccines was 2%, and now with vaccines and treatments it’s expected to decrease. Things are looking up and those unvaccinated hospitalized are very unlikely to die.

Now tell us how many of those work on Omicron?

Pfizer and Moderna released data that 3 doses are equally effective at producing neutralizing antibodies against Onicron as other variants .So 2 of the 3 vaccines are effective? Is that what you are asking? South Africa discovered Onicron on November 25 and today they released information that the majority of their deaths and hospitalizations have been in unvaccinated, and that they are over the wave after 3 week. But you keep on imagining doom and gloom. Good luck to you !

How can they release data when the variant is brand new and hasn't been around long enough to study? There are multiple studies with very different information. And, its not just about hospitalizations and deaths to some of us. Many of us don't want to get covid.

Too bad. Everybody gets to take a turn at some point.

"I have a PhD in virology and 20+ years of experience in viral immunology. Everyone will get COVID. Continuing to pretend otherwise simply does massive harm to society while we deny the obvious."

https://twitter.com/DrScottBalsitis/status/1472085479281475586

BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME.

That virologist is stupid, to not comment on that crucial point when he makes his perfectly accurate remark. If everyone is positive within a short period of time, hospitals get overwhelmed and patients die who could otherwise have lived - and not just the Covid patients. Your car accident injuries won't get treated in time, perhaps. Your stroke will leave you permanently disabled because you were left ER for days waiting for an ICU bed.

But unless this happens to them personally, some people will never accept the role they've played into killing or maiming other people for life. They will spread Covid joyfully and boast it was nothing by sniffles while people can't get quality care in the hospital and medical staff are traumatized by overwork.

This time, you're not going to be able to meaningfully spread out infections over time in a way that prevents the scenario you're describing. The US government (federal, state, and local) have collectively yawned. It's going to burn through fast, and hospitals will suffer for a time being. You can pontificate that we can stop it from happening, but it's not really possible this go around.

We've heard that before.

South Africa's hospitals did fine. Ours will too, just as they gave throughout the pandemic, despite regular calls for hysteria.

This. Never once have hospitals here in the US been overwhelmed. Not once. Even in NYC when they made a huge show of sending in the hospital that never got used.