Have you sign-up for weekly asymptomatic testing at APS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because I'm tired of d1ckheads who can't do very basic things to make this pandemic end.

Why are you such a terrible person? Did your parents beat you?

How does asymptomatic testing end a "pandemic" for a virus that will be "endemic" for the rest of our lives? It will continue to spread. The future is that it will be treated like any other respiratory virus, and kids who are not sick (i.e., don't have actual symptoms) will not miss school.

It’s not “endemic” while ICUs are still filling. It’s still “novel” to many people.

Testing limits outbreaks until enough people get vaccinated (kids at this point) and unvaccinated jerks are infected.

Vaccinate, mask, test to keep our kids in classrooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Before making a decision, please read the updated information from the APS website:
https://www.apsva.us/school-year-2021-22/health-safety-information/covid-19-testing/?fbclid=IwAR2KIfopA39fRt78DGXJsjOgWXNt01U2pt6ZtpYICX5k8UISSAKDOC-4KEE

"If a pool were to come up as a positive, the laboratory uses an algorithm to determine which samples to test for confirmation of which student(s) within the pool are positive. These confirmation results will be followed up with a running of the individual sample(s) identified to confirm positive status. {so you don't need to get a separate test on your own. The original sample is saved to run individually.}

During the confirmation period, the suspected positive student(s) in the pool who are identified using the algorithm will be excluded from in person instruction and activities {so not everyone in the pool}. The family can expect to receive definitive confirmation of the positive results after individual sample(s) are ran for confirmation which on average is 12-24 hours. The entire participants in the pool will not need to quarantine during this process unless they are identified as a suspected case using the algorithm on the pooled samples."

I have no idea how they can use an algorithm to figure out who in the pool needs to quarantine, but this sounds pretty reasonable to me. I will keep my child enrolled.

There is also some information from Resource Path that APS hasn't shared (at least not with me...): https://www.resourcepath.net/first-week-back-at-school-how-is-everyone-doing/?fbclid=IwAR0cRHH6WrtlP-PiJsKN61d9I9wzCBb5eOpmd7y1GVDIeNhleXIPlMuKdUk

So not everyone in the pool needs to quarantine. Great news.

[Anonymous]

It looks like the testing will take place during class time. APS posted the schedule with times for each school. Does anyone know how long the kids will be pulled out to wait in line or to be tested? I couldn’t find this on the APS site but may have missed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It looks like the testing will take place during class time. APS posted the schedule with times for each school. Does anyone know how long the kids will be pulled out to wait in line or to be tested? I couldn’t find this on the APS site but may have missed it.

If it’s anything like the sports testing they can do several kids at a time very quickly. Probably no wait if they stagger times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because I'm tired of d1ckheads who can't do very basic things to make this pandemic end.

Why are you such a terrible person? Did your parents beat you?

How does asymptomatic testing end a "pandemic" for a virus that will be "endemic" for the rest of our lives? It will continue to spread. The future is that it will be treated like any other respiratory virus, and kids who are not sick (i.e., don't have actual symptoms) will not miss school.

It’s not “endemic” while ICUs are still filling. It’s still “novel” to many people.

Testing limits outbreaks until enough people get vaccinated (kids at this point) and unvaccinated jerks are infected.

Vaccinate, mask, test to keep our kids in classrooms.

ICUs are not filling up in the DC area. There's very few COVID hospitalizations in the entire area (and would love to see the if the few hospitalized are actually hospitalized "from" COVID). Our area is very highly vaccinated. This isn't rural Arkansas.

We know that kids under 12 are at less risk than vaccinated adults. The UK isn't even vaccinating kids under 16 years old, the risk is so low. No masks in school there either.

So yes, it is very endemic in the DC area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because I'm tired of d1ckheads who can't do very basic things to make this pandemic end.

Why are you such a terrible person? Did your parents beat you?

How does asymptomatic testing end a "pandemic" for a virus that will be "endemic" for the rest of our lives? It will continue to spread. The future is that it will be treated like any other respiratory virus, and kids who are not sick (i.e., don't have actual symptoms) will not miss school.

It’s not “endemic” while ICUs are still filling. It’s still “novel” to many people.

Testing limits outbreaks until enough people get vaccinated (kids at this point) and unvaccinated jerks are infected.

Vaccinate, mask, test to keep our kids in classrooms.

ICUs are not filling up in the DC area. There's very few COVID hospitalizations in the entire area (and would love to see the if the few hospitalized are actually hospitalized "from" COVID). Our area is very highly vaccinated. This isn't rural Arkansas.

We know that kids under 12 are at less risk than vaccinated adults. The UK isn't even vaccinating kids under 16 years old, the risk is so low. No masks in school there either.

So yes, it is very endemic in the DC area.

It’s not a closed system. And we still have many that don’t have any immunity. Not endemic…yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because I'm tired of d1ckheads who can't do very basic things to make this pandemic end.

Why are you such a terrible person? Did your parents beat you?

How does asymptomatic testing end a "pandemic" for a virus that will be "endemic" for the rest of our lives? It will continue to spread. The future is that it will be treated like any other respiratory virus, and kids who are not sick (i.e., don't have actual symptoms) will not miss school.

It’s not “endemic” while ICUs are still filling. It’s still “novel” to many people.

Testing limits outbreaks until enough people get vaccinated (kids at this point) and unvaccinated jerks are infected.

Vaccinate, mask, test to keep our kids in classrooms.

ICUs are not filling up in the DC area. There's very few COVID hospitalizations in the entire area (and would love to see the if the few hospitalized are actually hospitalized "from" COVID). Our area is very highly vaccinated. This isn't rural Arkansas.

We know that kids under 12 are at less risk than vaccinated adults. The UK isn't even vaccinating kids under 16 years old, the risk is so low. No masks in school there either.

So yes, it is very endemic in the DC area.

It’s not a closed system. And we still have many that don’t have any immunity. Not endemic…yet.

Closed system? Your prior argument was about hospitals in this area. Hospitals are having 0 problems here with COVID.

As for immunity, we have one of the highest vaccination rates in the country. And kids under 12 are at less risk than vaccinated adults. So yes, the proper amount of people have immunity.

Unless you're arguing that we should do NPIs every time there's a new variant with additional cases. That is what vaccines are for.

[Anonymous]

Anyone have any insight into whether this is random testing? There was a mention that this was random testing last night at the SB meeting, but the two people that called it random (Reid and the new COO) seemed very confused and not at all confident in calling it random. They seemed like potentially they were mixing up the term pooled and random...doesn't seem all that complex to me, but now I'm even more confused

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because I'm tired of d1ckheads who can't do very basic things to make this pandemic end.

Why are you such a terrible person? Did your parents beat you?

How does asymptomatic testing end a "pandemic" for a virus that will be "endemic" for the rest of our lives? It will continue to spread. The future is that it will be treated like any other respiratory virus, and kids who are not sick (i.e., don't have actual symptoms) will not miss school.

It’s not “endemic” while ICUs are still filling. It’s still “novel” to many people.

Testing limits outbreaks until enough people get vaccinated (kids at this point) and unvaccinated jerks are infected.

Vaccinate, mask, test to keep our kids in classrooms.

ICUs are not filling up in the DC area. There's very few COVID hospitalizations in the entire area (and would love to see the if the few hospitalized are actually hospitalized "from" COVID). Our area is very highly vaccinated. This isn't rural Arkansas.

We know that kids under 12 are at less risk than vaccinated adults. The UK isn't even vaccinating kids under 16 years old, the risk is so low. No masks in school there either.

So yes, it is very endemic in the DC area.

My pediatrician sent out an email to the entire practice saying that they are totally swamped. Have NEVER seen that before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because I'm tired of d1ckheads who can't do very basic things to make this pandemic end.

Why are you such a terrible person? Did your parents beat you?

How does asymptomatic testing end a "pandemic" for a virus that will be "endemic" for the rest of our lives? It will continue to spread. The future is that it will be treated like any other respiratory virus, and kids who are not sick (i.e., don't have actual symptoms) will not miss school.

It’s not “endemic” while ICUs are still filling. It’s still “novel” to many people.

Testing limits outbreaks until enough people get vaccinated (kids at this point) and unvaccinated jerks are infected.

Vaccinate, mask, test to keep our kids in classrooms.

ICUs are not filling up in the DC area. There's very few COVID hospitalizations in the entire area (and would love to see the if the few hospitalized are actually hospitalized "from" COVID). Our area is very highly vaccinated. This isn't rural Arkansas.

We know that kids under 12 are at less risk than vaccinated adults. The UK isn't even vaccinating kids under 16 years old, the risk is so low. No masks in school there either.

So yes, it is very endemic in the DC area.

My pediatrician sent out an email to the entire practice saying that they are totally swamped. Have NEVER seen that before.

RSV is very bad right now. The risk of COVID to children under 12 is less than the seasonal flu.

And as Walensky said on Friday:

“Although we are seeing more cases in children and more overall cases, these studies demonstrated that there was not increased disease severity in children,” Dr. Walensky said. “Instead, more children have COVID-19 because there is more disease in the community.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because I'm tired of d1ckheads who can't do very basic things to make this pandemic end.

Why are you such a terrible person? Did your parents beat you?

How does asymptomatic testing end a "pandemic" for a virus that will be "endemic" for the rest of our lives? It will continue to spread. The future is that it will be treated like any other respiratory virus, and kids who are not sick (i.e., don't have actual symptoms) will not miss school.

It’s not “endemic” while ICUs are still filling. It’s still “novel” to many people.

Testing limits outbreaks until enough people get vaccinated (kids at this point) and unvaccinated jerks are infected.

Vaccinate, mask, test to keep our kids in classrooms.

ICUs are not filling up in the DC area. There's very few COVID hospitalizations in the entire area (and would love to see the if the few hospitalized are actually hospitalized "from" COVID). Our area is very highly vaccinated. This isn't rural Arkansas.

We know that kids under 12 are at less risk than vaccinated adults. The UK isn't even vaccinating kids under 16 years old, the risk is so low. No masks in school there either.

So yes, it is very endemic in the DC area.

My pediatrician sent out an email to the entire practice saying that they are totally swamped. Have NEVER seen that before.

This actually doesn't surprise me. I bet that every high-strung DCUM-type parent is rushing their kid to the ped for every single sniffle and sneeze right now. Doesn't mean that the hospitals are going to be overrun by pediatric covid cases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because I'm tired of d1ckheads who can't do very basic things to make this pandemic end.

Why are you such a terrible person? Did your parents beat you?

How does asymptomatic testing end a "pandemic" for a virus that will be "endemic" for the rest of our lives? It will continue to spread. The future is that it will be treated like any other respiratory virus, and kids who are not sick (i.e., don't have actual symptoms) will not miss school.

It’s not “endemic” while ICUs are still filling. It’s still “novel” to many people.

Testing limits outbreaks until enough people get vaccinated (kids at this point) and unvaccinated jerks are infected.

Vaccinate, mask, test to keep our kids in classrooms.

ICUs are not filling up in the DC area. There's very few COVID hospitalizations in the entire area (and would love to see the if the few hospitalized are actually hospitalized "from" COVID). Our area is very highly vaccinated. This isn't rural Arkansas.

We know that kids under 12 are at less risk than vaccinated adults. The UK isn't even vaccinating kids under 16 years old, the risk is so low. No masks in school there either.

So yes, it is very endemic in the DC area.

My pediatrician sent out an email to the entire practice saying that they are totally swamped. Have NEVER seen that before.

Peds are swamped because anytime your child has any sort of any symptom (runny nose, congestion, etc.) we have to get a note from the ped to return to school! It is completely normal for ES kids to have colds, they are building their immune systems! But because of the ridiculous protocols, any little thing and our kids are home until cleared by doctor note. I don't want to bog the ped office down with this nonsense, but what other choice do we have? Keep kid home for 14 days because of the sniffles?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because I'm tired of d1ckheads who can't do very basic things to make this pandemic end.

Why are you such a terrible person? Did your parents beat you?

How does asymptomatic testing end a "pandemic" for a virus that will be "endemic" for the rest of our lives? It will continue to spread. The future is that it will be treated like any other respiratory virus, and kids who are not sick (i.e., don't have actual symptoms) will not miss school.

It’s not “endemic” while ICUs are still filling. It’s still “novel” to many people.

Testing limits outbreaks until enough people get vaccinated (kids at this point) and unvaccinated jerks are infected.

Vaccinate, mask, test to keep our kids in classrooms.

ICUs are not filling up in the DC area. There's very few COVID hospitalizations in the entire area (and would love to see the if the few hospitalized are actually hospitalized "from" COVID). Our area is very highly vaccinated. This isn't rural Arkansas.

We know that kids under 12 are at less risk than vaccinated adults. The UK isn't even vaccinating kids under 16 years old, the risk is so low. No masks in school there either.

So yes, it is very endemic in the DC area.

It’s not a closed system. And we still have many that don’t have any immunity. Not endemic…yet.

Closed system? Your prior argument was about hospitals in this area. Hospitals are having 0 problems here with COVID.

As for immunity, we have one of the highest vaccination rates in the country. And kids under 12 are at less risk than vaccinated adults. So yes, the proper amount of people have immunity.

Unless you're arguing that we should do NPIs every time there's a new variant with additional cases. That is what vaccines are for.

I didn't say hospitals in this area. ??

We don't live in a bubble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Before making a decision, please read the updated information from the APS website:
https://www.apsva.us/school-year-2021-22/health-safety-information/covid-19-testing/?fbclid=IwAR2KIfopA39fRt78DGXJsjOgWXNt01U2pt6ZtpYICX5k8UISSAKDOC-4KEE

"If a pool were to come up as a positive, the laboratory uses an algorithm to determine which samples to test for confirmation of which student(s) within the pool are positive. These confirmation results will be followed up with a running of the individual sample(s) identified to confirm positive status. {so you don't need to get a separate test on your own. The original sample is saved to run individually.}

During the confirmation period, the suspected positive student(s) in the pool who are identified using the algorithm will be excluded from in person instruction and activities {so not everyone in the pool}. The family can expect to receive definitive confirmation of the positive results after individual sample(s) are ran for confirmation which on average is 12-24 hours. The entire participants in the pool will not need to quarantine during this process unless they are identified as a suspected case using the algorithm on the pooled samples."

I have no idea how they can use an algorithm to figure out who in the pool needs to quarantine, but this sounds pretty reasonable to me. I will keep my child enrolled.

There is also some information from Resource Path that APS hasn't shared (at least not with me...): https://www.resourcepath.net/first-week-back-at-school-how-is-everyone-doing/?fbclid=IwAR0cRHH6WrtlP-PiJsKN61d9I9wzCBb5eOpmd7y1GVDIeNhleXIPlMuKdUk

So not everyone in the pool needs to quarantine. Great news.

Can someone explain how the algorithm thing works? It sounds nice in theory, but I'm curious how it functionally works.

[Anonymous]

Can someone please explain the logistics for elementary schools? I would love to sign up, but our school has not communicated how it will work.

1. Our schools time spans both the subject where my child needs the most help AND dismissal. Is my kid going to get pulled from class each week? Is my kid going to be pulled and then lost in the shuffle of dismissal / not allowed to return to his room for his backpack and other items? Miss lining up for extended day snack or miss getting lined up to go outside at extended day?

2. If they are going to collect kids from several classes and take them to the office for testing, is my kid now a close contact with the kids in the pool and at increased risk of a quarantine?