Colleges and Universities almost universally plan to be open in the fall

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a big issue is that even if the fatality rates are low in the college-aged population, there's really likely to be high outbreaks in dorms as there are in all the residential settings. If kids are sick for the 2-3 weeks that is typical for a mild case of Covid 19 they will be miserable, likely have to do a medical withdrawal from classes (where they don't get credit, only get some prorated money back for course, but it doesn't harm their GPA). Maybe if they've done enough for the class could get by with an incomplete. But there are pretty high odds that going to campus during a second wave is going to result in a missed semester of classes. As a parent, even my kid is okay with taking the health risk, there's kind of a big academic/financial risk implicit in going to residential classes in the fall. I have a college student who is itching to get back--and I really want them to have the full college experience, but I feel like I don't know what the right decision will be if they offer a hybrid option.

This age group is barely even getting sick from CV. Your scenario is not the likely one.

No that's not true. They just aren't needing hospitalization at the same high rates due to fewer pre-existing conditions/age.
They are just as likely to get infected and get a "mild" case which often means 2 weeks of severe impairment. They would also have to self-isolate until they had negative test results. If there's an outbreak there will be required self-isolation all over. That's enough to derail a college semester, trigger depression etc. I'm not sure I want to spend 20k on a semester of a reduced experience, where contact tracing keeps making kids have to take classes on-line in their rooms and not participate in social activities, and there's let's say a 5% chance (given the close quarters I don't think that ) my kid gets sick enough to have to withdraw. I don't know--just doesn't sound like a fantastic investment to me.
Given that we have little knowledge of how the first full season of Covid 19 is going to go I think taking on-line courses for a semester and then returning for the spring semester makes more sense. It sucks--my kid loves their college and hates taking the courses on-line, but it's just really hard for me to see how colleges will take on a full residential population without making their lives miserable with all the social distancing measures and then inevitable self-isolation when you test positive--let alone get sick.

Maybe they'll make a "positive Covid-19 dorm" that can all live together and take on-line classes and have meals delivered to the common room and activities planned for just the "positives" and regular medical/psychological supervision. Actually, that's not the worst idea...If a college had that planned and I had a kid with no pre-existing conditions I might be willing to take the risk. They are away from families who have higher risks and that would be a new kind of social/college experience...

[Anonymous]

No, a "mild" case does not mean two weeks of impairment. A mild case means a barely symptomatic case with no actual impairment. It has been estimated that 85% (of the general population, not student age) of infected people have asymptomatic or mild cases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, a "mild" case does not mean two weeks of impairment. A mild case means a barely symptomatic case with no actual impairment. It has been estimated that 85% (of the general population, not student age) of infected people have asymptomatic or mild cases.

A mild case does include 2 weeks of impairment--I have a direct relationship with someone who is classified as a mild case. It was like the worst flu and pneumonia combined but it is categorized as mild if they are not hospitalized. They are part of the 85%.

[Anonymous]

If outbreak level is low, it would be nice if colleges and universities can open. Students and faculty who are not comfortable coming to campus should be allowed to participate online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, a "mild" case does not mean two weeks of impairment. A mild case means a barely symptomatic case with no actual impairment. It has been estimated that 85% (of the general population, not student age) of infected people have asymptomatic or mild cases.

A mild case does include 2 weeks of impairment--I have a direct relationship with someone who is classified as a mild case. It was like the worst flu and pneumonia combined but it is categorized as mild if they are not hospitalized. They are part of the 85%.

I don't want to argue about the word "mild." As roughly 5% of infected people are hospitalized, I wouldn't characterize a non-hospitalized case with significant impairment "mild." The studies on the large percentage of asymptomatic and if you prefer barely symptomatic being in the 80s date back to February.
https://www.sciencealert.com/large-chinese-study-finds-most-coronavirus-infections-are-mild

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, a "mild" case does not mean two weeks of impairment. A mild case means a barely symptomatic case with no actual impairment. It has been estimated that 85% (of the general population, not student age) of infected people have asymptomatic or mild cases.

A mild case does include 2 weeks of impairment--I have a direct relationship with someone who is classified as a mild case. It was like the worst flu and pneumonia combined but it is categorized as mild if they are not hospitalized. They are part of the 85%.

I don't want to argue about the word "mild." As roughly 5% of infected people are hospitalized, I wouldn't characterize a non-hospitalized case with significant impairment "mild." The studies on the large percentage of asymptomatic and if you prefer barely symptomatic being in the 80s date back to February.
https://www.sciencealert.com/large-chinese-study-finds-most-coronavirus-infections-are-mild

I wouldn't extrapolate from data from the Chinese CDC on a brand new outbreak that no one has a long-term perspective on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, a "mild" case does not mean two weeks of impairment. A mild case means a barely symptomatic case with no actual impairment. It has been estimated that 85% (of the general population, not student age) of infected people have asymptomatic or mild cases.

Right, it all depends and it varies. My 25 yo niece simply had what seemed like a cold, although she did lose her sense of taste and smell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, a "mild" case does not mean two weeks of impairment. A mild case means a barely symptomatic case with no actual impairment. It has been estimated that 85% (of the general population, not student age) of infected people have asymptomatic or mild cases.

Right, it all depends and it varies. My 25 yo niece simply had what seemed like a cold, although she did lose her sense of taste and smell.

The point is that it varies--but if you look at how the studies which make claims about %ages of mild cases, any case that doesn't meet the threshold for hospitalization counts as mild. The 5% that are not "mild" and not hospitalized are often those in settings (e.g. long-term care, mental health institution) where they may have qualified to be hospitalized but were not.

There's been debate about this--the epidemiological use of "mild" is being conflated with everyday person's view of "mild" and make them overly sanguine about risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:According to Mike Spivey, a higher education expert who says this is being discussed behind the scenes but that public announcements from each school won't come out until May through July. https://blog.spiveyconsulting.com/universities-colleges-and-law-schools-plan-to-be-open-on-campus-this-fall/

Thoughts?

I am fine with that for "low risk" kids without diabetes or asthma or hypertension. I think they should keep them on campus for Christmas break. Don't send those potentially infected kids around the country on planes and buses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, a "mild" case does not mean two weeks of impairment. A mild case means a barely symptomatic case with no actual impairment. It has been estimated that 85% (of the general population, not student age) of infected people have asymptomatic or mild cases.

Right, it all depends and it varies. My 25 yo niece simply had what seemed like a cold, although she did lose her sense of taste and smell.

Did she get it back?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, a "mild" case does not mean two weeks of impairment. A mild case means a barely symptomatic case with no actual impairment. It has been estimated that 85% (of the general population, not student age) of infected people have asymptomatic or mild cases.

Right, it all depends and it varies. My 25 yo niece simply had what seemed like a cold, although she did lose her sense of taste and smell.

The point is that it varies--but if you look at how the studies which make claims about %ages of mild cases, any case that doesn't meet the threshold for hospitalization counts as mild. The 5% that are not "mild" and not hospitalized are often those in settings (e.g. long-term care, mental health institution) where they may have qualified to be hospitalized but were not.

There's been debate about this--the epidemiological use of "mild" is being conflated with everyday person's view of "mild" and make them overly sanguine about risk.

Right. In this context, "mild" includes people who develop pneumonia from COVID-19 but don't need to be hospitalized. Mild doesn't mean the sniffles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, a "mild" case does not mean two weeks of impairment. A mild case means a barely symptomatic case with no actual impairment. It has been estimated that 85% (of the general population, not student age) of infected people have asymptomatic or mild cases.

Right, it all depends and it varies. My 25 yo niece simply had what seemed like a cold, although she did lose her sense of taste and smell.

Did she get it back?

She did. Came back slowly, but is back fully after about a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, a "mild" case does not mean two weeks of impairment. A mild case means a barely symptomatic case with no actual impairment. It has been estimated that 85% (of the general population, not student age) of infected people have asymptomatic or mild cases.

Right, it all depends and it varies. My 25 yo niece simply had what seemed like a cold, although she did lose her sense of taste and smell.

The point is that it varies--but if you look at how the studies which make claims about %ages of mild cases, any case that doesn't meet the threshold for hospitalization counts as mild. The 5% that are not "mild" and not hospitalized are often those in settings (e.g. long-term care, mental health institution) where they may have qualified to be hospitalized but were not.

There's been debate about this--the epidemiological use of "mild" is being conflated with everyday person's view of "mild" and make them overly sanguine about risk.

Right. In this context, "mild" includes people who develop pneumonia from COVID-19 but don't need to be hospitalized. Mild doesn't mean the sniffles.

And not all pneumonia is serious. Many people hear "pneumonia" and think very serious illness, when there are many mild cases with people walking around with it and not even knowing. So just that being thrown out makes it sound scarier than it usually is.

[Anonymous]

Opening as normal in the fall is NOT what is being communicated at some VA state schools (per friends with kids who are currently registering for fall classes).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Opening as normal in the fall is NOT what is being communicated at some VA state schools (per friends with kids who are currently registering for fall classes).

Yeah nobody said opening as normal. In the article, even in this divisive thread. It's don't open vs. open with lots of precautions