With all the positive cases at MCPS, can you simply elect to do zoom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please get your kids vaccinated if you're worried. So far the Pfizer CEO has said omicron is milder than delta. If your child is vaccinated, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Is there any data on breakthrough cases where students are vaccinated and getting covid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What positive cases? At our school, there have been very few—maybe 5 since school started and most of them weren’t kids…

Pay attention, multiple outbreaks.

Yet we're still talking about a small number of cases given the size of the district and county. And no reason to believe we're seeing a significant number of cases involving severe illness. Given the large number of kids vaccinated in MCPS, particularly older kids, we probably won't see much in the way of severe illness.

The students aren’t going to school in the NBA bubble; they’re traveling through and living in the community. Yes, many MCPS students are vaccinated and will avoid severe infections, but the same cannot be said for the members of the community that the students come in contact with. When the schools report positive cases, they do not include family members infected by the students. Similarly, if a staffer tests positive, they don’t include the staffer’s family members if they have infected by the staffer. So when a school reports that 4 students have tested positive, that just means a greater number of people in the community have been exposed and will likely test positive. Throughout this pandemic people have downplayed the symptoms and likelihood of a bad infection, until they’re the one suffering.

So? The same can be said about a given restaurant or the mall. Somehow schools are seen as the key to stopping the pandemic by a small group of posters. Kids can be vaccinated now. Masks are mandated. Good enough.

Cases are rising so clearly its not good enough.

It’s as good as it’s ever going to be. Go ahead and imprison everybody in the county, everybody in the region inside their homes for the next three months. When you emerge, Omicron just has fresh fuel to burn through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What positive cases? At our school, there have been very few—maybe 5 since school started and most of them weren’t kids…

Pay attention, multiple outbreaks.

Yet we're still talking about a small number of cases given the size of the district and county. And no reason to believe we're seeing a significant number of cases involving severe illness. Given the large number of kids vaccinated in MCPS, particularly older kids, we probably won't see much in the way of severe illness.

The students aren’t going to school in the NBA bubble; they’re traveling through and living in the community. Yes, many MCPS students are vaccinated and will avoid severe infections, but the same cannot be said for the members of the community that the students come in contact with. When the schools report positive cases, they do not include family members infected by the students. Similarly, if a staffer tests positive, they don’t include the staffer’s family members if they have infected by the staffer. So when a school reports that 4 students have tested positive, that just means a greater number of people in the community have been exposed and will likely test positive. Throughout this pandemic people have downplayed the symptoms and likelihood of a bad infection, until they’re the one suffering.

So? The same can be said about a given restaurant or the mall. Somehow schools are seen as the key to stopping the pandemic by a small group of posters. Kids can be vaccinated now. Masks are mandated. Good enough.

Cases are rising so clearly its not good enough.

It's still largely a surge in the unvaxxed. Unvaxxed are more than 5x more likely to contract, and more than 10x more likely to die.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What positive cases? At our school, there have been very few—maybe 5 since school started and most of them weren’t kids…

Pay attention, multiple outbreaks.

Yet we're still talking about a small number of cases given the size of the district and county. And no reason to believe we're seeing a significant number of cases involving severe illness. Given the large number of kids vaccinated in MCPS, particularly older kids, we probably won't see much in the way of severe illness.

The students aren’t going to school in the NBA bubble; they’re traveling through and living in the community. Yes, many MCPS students are vaccinated and will avoid severe infections, but the same cannot be said for the members of the community that the students come in contact with. When the schools report positive cases, they do not include family members infected by the students. Similarly, if a staffer tests positive, they don’t include the staffer’s family members if they have infected by the staffer. So when a school reports that 4 students have tested positive, that just means a greater number of people in the community have been exposed and will likely test positive. Throughout this pandemic people have downplayed the symptoms and likelihood of a bad infection, until they’re the one suffering.

So? The same can be said about a given restaurant or the mall. Somehow schools are seen as the key to stopping the pandemic by a small group of posters. Kids can be vaccinated now. Masks are mandated. Good enough.

Cases are rising so clearly its not good enough.

It's still largely a surge in the unvaxxed. Unvaxxed are more than 5x more likely to contract, and more than 10x more likely to die.

The majority are vaccinated in this county. There are numerous high school outbreaks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What positive cases? At our school, there have been very few—maybe 5 since school started and most of them weren’t kids…

Pay attention, multiple outbreaks.

Yet we're still talking about a small number of cases given the size of the district and county. And no reason to believe we're seeing a significant number of cases involving severe illness. Given the large number of kids vaccinated in MCPS, particularly older kids, we probably won't see much in the way of severe illness.

The students aren’t going to school in the NBA bubble; they’re traveling through and living in the community. Yes, many MCPS students are vaccinated and will avoid severe infections, but the same cannot be said for the members of the community that the students come in contact with. When the schools report positive cases, they do not include family members infected by the students. Similarly, if a staffer tests positive, they don’t include the staffer’s family members if they have infected by the staffer. So when a school reports that 4 students have tested positive, that just means a greater number of people in the community have been exposed and will likely test positive. Throughout this pandemic people have downplayed the symptoms and likelihood of a bad infection, until they’re the one suffering.

So? The same can be said about a given restaurant or the mall. Somehow schools are seen as the key to stopping the pandemic by a small group of posters. Kids can be vaccinated now. Masks are mandated. Good enough.

Cases are rising so clearly its not good enough.

Cases themselves don't matter. Case severity matters, and that's where the vaccines shine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whether isolating or by choice, can a student simply join class by zoom? This would facilitate a measure of safety for all.

No. MCEA demanded a prohibition on concurrent teaching in their agreement with MCPS for this school year. I think this could have been a good way to deal with quarantined/isolated students. It's too bad the teachers blocked it.

No, concurrent is horrible for everyone, the teacher, the in-person students, and the virtual ones. It takes a highly trained teacher with the right technology, and MCPS has not trained their teachers and has not offered them the right technology.

Even training can't make up for the fact that concurrent requires two different skill sets, two different modes of presentation, two different ways of delivering interactive materials, and two different audience contact styles...at the exact same time, while also modulating one's voice and physical presentation to try to work both spaces at once. Putting a tech aide in the room doesn't fix it. Making the Zoom kids watch passively while the in-person kids participate doesn't fix it. And breaking the kids into groups that alternate working with the teacher means that there is no actual concurrent instruction going on anyway. It is not a reasonable expectation to place on anyone. All students need and deserve the best teaching they can get. Concurrent ruins that for everyone involved, including the teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why OP? Not vaccinated? Otherwise, what does it matter?

Many of the recent outbreaks are "breakthrough cases."

And in a couple days, they’re breakthrough recoveries.

Ok, covid denier. You don't seem to get those cases, will spread within all the schools through siblings and our community. Thanks for doing your part to spread it through the schools.

Dude. We're all vaccinated now and 16 and up have been boostered. We aren't shutting the country down again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please get your kids vaccinated if you're worried. So far the Pfizer CEO has said omicron is milder than delta. If your child is vaccinated, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Is there any data on breakthrough cases where students are vaccinated and getting covid?

My vaccinated student got covid about 2 months after vaccinated. This was pre omincron

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why OP? Not vaccinated? Otherwise, what does it matter?

Many of the recent outbreaks are "breakthrough cases."

And in a couple days, they’re breakthrough recoveries.

Ok, covid denier. You don't seem to get those cases, will spread within all the schools through siblings and our community. Thanks for doing your part to spread it through the schools.

Dude. We're all vaccinated now and 16 and up have been boostered. We aren't shutting the country down again.

We never shut down. Hence the spread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whether isolating or by choice, can a student simply join class by zoom? This would facilitate a measure of safety for all.

No. MCEA demanded a prohibition on concurrent teaching in their agreement with MCPS for this school year. I think this could have been a good way to deal with quarantined/isolated students. It's too bad the teachers blocked it.

No, concurrent is horrible for everyone, the teacher, the in-person students, and the virtual ones. It takes a highly trained teacher with the right technology, and MCPS has not trained their teachers and has not offered them the right technology.

Even training can't make up for the fact that concurrent requires two different skill sets, two different modes of presentation, two different ways of delivering interactive materials, and two different audience contact styles...at the exact same time, while also modulating one's voice and physical presentation to try to work both spaces at once. Putting a tech aide in the room doesn't fix it. Making the Zoom kids watch passively while the in-person kids participate doesn't fix it. And breaking the kids into groups that alternate working with the teacher means that there is no actual concurrent instruction going on anyway. It is not a reasonable expectation to place on anyone. All students need and deserve the best teaching they can get. Concurrent ruins that for everyone involved, including the teacher.

Right, so just homeschool and don’t complain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What positive cases? At our school, there have been very few—maybe 5 since school started and most of them weren’t kids…

Pay attention, multiple outbreaks.

Yet we're still talking about a small number of cases given the size of the district and county. And no reason to believe we're seeing a significant number of cases involving severe illness. Given the large number of kids vaccinated in MCPS, particularly older kids, we probably won't see much in the way of severe illness.

The students aren’t going to school in the NBA bubble; they’re traveling through and living in the community. Yes, many MCPS students are vaccinated and will avoid severe infections, but the same cannot be said for the members of the community that the students come in contact with. When the schools report positive cases, they do not include family members infected by the students. Similarly, if a staffer tests positive, they don’t include the staffer’s family members if they have infected by the staffer. So when a school reports that 4 students have tested positive, that just means a greater number of people in the community have been exposed and will likely test positive. Throughout this pandemic people have downplayed the symptoms and likelihood of a bad infection, until they’re the one suffering.

So? The same can be said about a given restaurant or the mall. Somehow schools are seen as the key to stopping the pandemic by a small group of posters. Kids can be vaccinated now. Masks are mandated. Good enough.

Cases are rising so clearly its not good enough.

Cases themselves don't matter. Case severity matters, and that's where the vaccines shine.

Both matter. Who wants to be sick beyond you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whether isolating or by choice, can a student simply join class by zoom? This would facilitate a measure of safety for all.

No. MCEA demanded a prohibition on concurrent teaching in their agreement with MCPS for this school year. I think this could have been a good way to deal with quarantined/isolated students. It's too bad the teachers blocked it.

No, concurrent is horrible for everyone, the teacher, the in-person students, and the virtual ones. It takes a highly trained teacher with the right technology, and MCPS has not trained their teachers and has not offered them the right technology.

Even training can't make up for the fact that concurrent requires two different skill sets, two different modes of presentation, two different ways of delivering interactive materials, and two different audience contact styles...at the exact same time, while also modulating one's voice and physical presentation to try to work both spaces at once. Putting a tech aide in the room doesn't fix it. Making the Zoom kids watch passively while the in-person kids participate doesn't fix it. And breaking the kids into groups that alternate working with the teacher means that there is no actual concurrent instruction going on anyway. It is not a reasonable expectation to place on anyone. All students need and deserve the best teaching they can get. Concurrent ruins that for everyone involved, including the teacher.

The problem is, without concurrent, quarantined kids very often get **no** teaching. Particularly at the schools that didn't join the pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whether isolating or by choice, can a student simply join class by zoom? This would facilitate a measure of safety for all.

No. MCEA demanded a prohibition on concurrent teaching in their agreement with MCPS for this school year. I think this could have been a good way to deal with quarantined/isolated students. It's too bad the teachers blocked it.

No, concurrent is horrible for everyone, the teacher, the in-person students, and the virtual ones. It takes a highly trained teacher with the right technology, and MCPS has not trained their teachers and has not offered them the right technology.

Even training can't make up for the fact that concurrent requires two different skill sets, two different modes of presentation, two different ways of delivering interactive materials, and two different audience contact styles...at the exact same time, while also modulating one's voice and physical presentation to try to work both spaces at once. Putting a tech aide in the room doesn't fix it. Making the Zoom kids watch passively while the in-person kids participate doesn't fix it. And breaking the kids into groups that alternate working with the teacher means that there is no actual concurrent instruction going on anyway. It is not a reasonable expectation to place on anyone. All students need and deserve the best teaching they can get. Concurrent ruins that for everyone involved, including the teacher.

The problem is, without concurrent, quarantined kids very often get **no** teaching. Particularly at the schools that didn't join the pool.

Homeschool. Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please get your kids vaccinated if you're worried. So far the Pfizer CEO has said omicron is milder than delta. If your child is vaccinated, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Is there any data on breakthrough cases where students are vaccinated and getting covid?

My vaccinated student got covid about 2 months after vaccinated. This was pre omincron

How sick was your child? Did they have to go to the hospital?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It's still largely a surge in the unvaxxed. Unvaxxed are more than 5x more likely to contract, and more than 10x more likely to die.

The majority are vaccinated in this county. There are numerous high school outbreaks.

Yes, that's because, when almost everyone is vaccinated, chances are that anyone who tests positive is vaccinated. Just like, when almost everyone wears their seatbelt, chances are that anyone injured in a car crash was wearing their seatbelt. It doesn't mean the vaccine/seatbelt is ineffective. As the PP said, unvaccinated people are far more likely to become infected with SARS-CoV-2, to get seriously ill with covid, or to die of covid.