Keep Healthy Kids in School - Don't Opt-In to APS' Surveillance Testing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do we know the likelihood of a vaxxed masked asymptomatic 5-11 year old spreading COVID to another masked vaxxed asymptomatic person and that person getting serious consequences or spreading to someone who gets serious consequences? Is such likelihood greater than likelihood of a serious injury while in a moving car?

The chances of that occurring are probably equivalent to the chances of a person getting seriously injured in car crashes on 2 consecutive days. But we're destroying kids' education for Powerball level chances now too. We can take 0 chances with a virus that will be here forever, has 3 effective vaccines available, and for a vaccinated person or unvaccinated child has less than a flu level risk.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I’m guessing CDC comes out with some revamped guidelines in light of Omicron. Current rules don’t make sense when cases transmitting regardless of vaccine status and most everyone is getting it. I expect we move to something more like this: https://time.com/6131104/rethinking-covid-19-restrictions-2022/?fbclid=IwAR1Xwqe7m4yI7n00ofI1-NuQifh9n3v3y_37H5sKgL2wdlF0yzhz7B-ZdpA

On testing from link: Rational Testing Policies

We need to retire the policy of school closures and the cancellation of school sporting events based on asymptomatic testing. While testing and quarantines may have been rationalized as reasonable strategies prior to the availability of vaccines, these disruptions can no longer be justified as having any direct impact on lowering the risk of life-threatening illness among the lives of those subject to the disruptions, namely students, athletes, or even spectators.

Although schools reopened in 2021, parents and students continue to suffer from educational loss and work disruption due to school testing policies and quarantines. The CDC has recently endorsed test to stay as a safe and reasonable policy for keeping kids in school and minimizing educational disruption. This policy should quickly become the norm until school-based testing is completely phased out. Similarly, testing protocols should be updated for all places of work, shortening the period of isolation following infection. Returning to work (or school) as soon as a rapid test is negative, reflecting when COVID-19 is no longer transmissible, is more appropriate than the outdated 7 day period (with a negative test) of isolation.

There was just a huge superspreader basketball game and you are pushing for more of this? No thanks.

Which school?

The Yorktown/WL basketball game. Also big outbreaks on the Wakefield and WL basketball teams. Probably Yorktown’s too

Yorktown had only four reported cases (not all of which were athletes) in the past seven days, so no reason to believe they’ve had an outbreak.

The game was held at YHS. The outbreak is the W-L athletes at that game.

Nope. It’s not just the athletes. It’s the spectators too. More than a dozen kids.

Where are you getting this, because it’s not consistent with the dashboard data?

Anyone with a kid in YHS or WL can name a ton of kids who have tested positive since break started. Do you really think the dashboard data has been updated since break started when all of APS has been on break? Do you really think anyone is filling out the daily screener or calling the school nurses to report (the ones who are not at schools because schools are closed for break)? Just because it’s not on the dashboard doesn’t mean the spread isn’t real.

Okay, is this is based on rumor. Got it.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I’m guessing CDC comes out with some revamped guidelines in light of Omicron. Current rules don’t make sense when cases transmitting regardless of vaccine status and most everyone is getting it. I expect we move to something more like this: https://time.com/6131104/rethinking-covid-19-restrictions-2022/?fbclid=IwAR1Xwqe7m4yI7n00ofI1-NuQifh9n3v3y_37H5sKgL2wdlF0yzhz7B-ZdpA

On testing from link: Rational Testing Policies

We need to retire the policy of school closures and the cancellation of school sporting events based on asymptomatic testing. While testing and quarantines may have been rationalized as reasonable strategies prior to the availability of vaccines, these disruptions can no longer be justified as having any direct impact on lowering the risk of life-threatening illness among the lives of those subject to the disruptions, namely students, athletes, or even spectators.

Although schools reopened in 2021, parents and students continue to suffer from educational loss and work disruption due to school testing policies and quarantines. The CDC has recently endorsed test to stay as a safe and reasonable policy for keeping kids in school and minimizing educational disruption. This policy should quickly become the norm until school-based testing is completely phased out. Similarly, testing protocols should be updated for all places of work, shortening the period of isolation following infection. Returning to work (or school) as soon as a rapid test is negative, reflecting when COVID-19 is no longer transmissible, is more appropriate than the outdated 7 day period (with a negative test) of isolation.

There was just a huge superspreader basketball game and you are pushing for more of this? No thanks.

Which school?

The Yorktown/WL basketball game. Also big outbreaks on the Wakefield and WL basketball teams. Probably Yorktown’s too

Yorktown had only four reported cases (not all of which were athletes) in the past seven days, so no reason to believe they’ve had an outbreak.

The game was held at YHS. The outbreak is the W-L athletes at that game.

Nope. It’s not just the athletes. It’s the spectators too. More than a dozen kids.

Where are you getting this, because it’s not consistent with the dashboard data?

Anyone with a kid in YHS or WL can name a ton of kids who have tested positive since break started. Do you really think the dashboard data has been updated since break started when all of APS has been on break? Do you really think anyone is filling out the daily screener or calling the school nurses to report (the ones who are not at schools because schools are closed for break)? Just because it’s not on the dashboard doesn’t mean the spread isn’t real.

Okay, is this is based on rumor. Got it.

Have you seen the news headlines? Do you realize how highly contagious and transmissible the Omicron variant is? APS may be behind in reporting, but DCPS has confirmed hundreds of cases in students over the past week. Many kids in our area are on break with COVID. This is fact, not speculation.

[Anonymous]

Eh that's just the troll, he dismisses anything that doesn't fit with his narrative. He's having a full on mental health crisis these days, given that news blows his narrative to hell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eh that's just the troll, he dismisses anything that doesn't fit with his narrative. He's having a full on mental health crisis these days, given that news blows his narrative to hell.

x1000 He has failed to adjust to the new world. It would be sad if it weren't so boring to read his tripe over and over.

[Anonymous]

South Africa is ending all isolation for asymptomatic positive people. Not long before it starts here unless we want to grind the economy to a halt.

That should apply to schools too. Another reason to not opt-into asymptomatic testing.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/24/world/africa/south-africa-covid-quarantine.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:South Africa is ending all isolation for asymptomatic positive people. Not long before it starts here unless we want to grind the economy to a halt.

That should apply to schools too. Another reason to not opt-into asymptomatic testing.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/24/world/africa/south-africa-covid-quarantine.html

Interesting timing, considering the NFL is not seeing any asymptomatic spread after doing some of the most resourced, detailed contact tracing experiment ever. Can't wait for the truth to come out on the lack of spread asymptomatically.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32930584/data-shows-asymptomatic-individuals-not-spreading-covid-19-nfl-chief-medical-officer-says

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m guessing CDC comes out with some revamped guidelines in light of Omicron. Current rules don’t make sense when cases transmitting regardless of vaccine status and most everyone is getting it. I expect we move to something more like this: https://time.com/6131104/rethinking-covid-19-restrictions-2022/?fbclid=IwAR1Xwqe7m4yI7n00ofI1-NuQifh9n3v3y_37H5sKgL2wdlF0yzhz7B-ZdpA

On testing from link: Rational Testing Policies

We need to retire the policy of school closures and the cancellation of school sporting events based on asymptomatic testing. While testing and quarantines may have been rationalized as reasonable strategies prior to the availability of vaccines, these disruptions can no longer be justified as having any direct impact on lowering the risk of life-threatening illness among the lives of those subject to the disruptions, namely students, athletes, or even spectators.

Although schools reopened in 2021, parents and students continue to suffer from educational loss and work disruption due to school testing policies and quarantines. The CDC has recently endorsed test to stay as a safe and reasonable policy for keeping kids in school and minimizing educational disruption. This policy should quickly become the norm until school-based testing is completely phased out. Similarly, testing protocols should be updated for all places of work, shortening the period of isolation following infection. Returning to work (or school) as soon as a rapid test is negative, reflecting when COVID-19 is no longer transmissible, is more appropriate than the outdated 7 day period (with a negative test) of isolation.

There was just a huge superspreader basketball game and you are pushing for more of this? No thanks.

Which school?

The Yorktown/WL basketball game. Also big outbreaks on the Wakefield and WL basketball teams. Probably Yorktown’s too

Yorktown had only four reported cases (not all of which were athletes) in the past seven days, so no reason to believe they’ve had an outbreak.

The game was held at YHS. The outbreak is the W-L athletes at that game.

Nope. It’s not just the athletes. It’s the spectators too. More than a dozen kids.

Where are you getting this, because it’s not consistent with the dashboard data?

Anyone with a kid in YHS or WL can name a ton of kids who have tested positive since break started. Do you really think the dashboard data has been updated since break started when all of APS has been on break? Do you really think anyone is filling out the daily screener or calling the school nurses to report (the ones who are not at schools because schools are closed for break)? Just because it’s not on the dashboard doesn’t mean the spread isn’t real.

Okay, is this is based on rumor. Got it.

Have you seen the news headlines? Do you realize how highly contagious and transmissible the Omicron variant is? APS may be behind in reporting, but DCPS has confirmed hundreds of cases in students over the past week. Many kids in our area are on break with COVID. This is fact, not speculation.

Yes, I have seen the news headlines: “JUST IN: New Covid case records for Arlington, but serious illness remains at pre-wave levels”

https://www.arlnow.com/2021/12/23/just-in-new-covid-case-records-for-arlington-but-serious-illness-remains-at-pre-wave-levels/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m guessing CDC comes out with some revamped guidelines in light of Omicron. Current rules don’t make sense when cases transmitting regardless of vaccine status and most everyone is getting it. I expect we move to something more like this: https://time.com/6131104/rethinking-covid-19-restrictions-2022/?fbclid=IwAR1Xwqe7m4yI7n00ofI1-NuQifh9n3v3y_37H5sKgL2wdlF0yzhz7B-ZdpA

On testing from link: Rational Testing Policies

We need to retire the policy of school closures and the cancellation of school sporting events based on asymptomatic testing. While testing and quarantines may have been rationalized as reasonable strategies prior to the availability of vaccines, these disruptions can no longer be justified as having any direct impact on lowering the risk of life-threatening illness among the lives of those subject to the disruptions, namely students, athletes, or even spectators.

Although schools reopened in 2021, parents and students continue to suffer from educational loss and work disruption due to school testing policies and quarantines. The CDC has recently endorsed test to stay as a safe and reasonable policy for keeping kids in school and minimizing educational disruption. This policy should quickly become the norm until school-based testing is completely phased out. Similarly, testing protocols should be updated for all places of work, shortening the period of isolation following infection. Returning to work (or school) as soon as a rapid test is negative, reflecting when COVID-19 is no longer transmissible, is more appropriate than the outdated 7 day period (with a negative test) of isolation.

There's literally not been a single student disrupted from surveillance testing. But now that you mention it, I'm glad that there's a convenient, free, totally optional testing policy.

What are you talking about, not a single student disrupted from surveillance testing? My kid missed almost week of school while waiting the five days to get a PCR test (which was negative) after they were deemed a close contact of an asymptomatic kid who was found during surveillance testing. This was before my child could be vaccinated. My child is now so they wouldn’t be excluded based on close contact alone, but there are plenty of kids who are not vaccinated based on their parents’ choices. Those kids have no say whatsoever in whether they get vaccinated, but will lose out on education as a result.

Exactly, your kid got vaccinated. Issue resolved. The testing isn't the problem. We can't set rules based on parental choice about vaccination, just like we can't set rules based on concerns about case counts or anything else you see on AEM. Get vaccinated and get tested. These two mitigation tactics are simple/effective and are far more important than anything else in limiting spread now and in the future. Everything else we're doing is twisting it up to accommodate those who don't want to be jabbed or don't want to be tested.

Assuming APS adopts the new CDC quarantine guidance, fully vaccinated students who are deemed close contacts will have to quarantine for five days even if they are asymptomatic and never test positive. So your argument for everyone opting in to surveillance testing is about to go out the window.

[Anonymous]

that's not what the guidance says

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:that's not what the guidance says

DP. The new guidance says that people who are six months out from their second shot who have not gotten a booster will need to quarantine for 5 days after close contact exposure. That’s basically all of the kids 12-15 who got their shots right after it was approved back in the spring but for whom a booster hasn’t been approved yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:South Africa is ending all isolation for asymptomatic positive people. Not long before it starts here unless we want to grind the economy to a halt.

That should apply to schools too. Another reason to not opt-into asymptomatic testing.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/24/world/africa/south-africa-covid-quarantine.html

I’m for ending quarantine of asymptomatic positives but I do worry that parents will send “asymptomatic” children in who in reality do have symptoms or have been dosed with Tylenol/robitussin. I’m an ECE teacher, FWIW