Masking policy Arlington Diocesan Schools

[Anonymous]

Do glad I don’t have to subject my young kids to the BS below. So sad that kids have to be embroiled in an idiotic policy debate instead of being care-free kids. Great decision Diocese!!!! If someone doesn’t like it, let them go elsewhere. Let the rest of us live our lives.

https://maskoffmonday.com/take-action-now-1/f/contact-your-school-today?embedded_webview=true&fbclid=IwAR0Vm3STgOQI5FquaDzkT1w9efkQrpe0MrmU3yT7EPpm5X4wOTtZmJt7wUk

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do glad I don’t have to subject my young kids to the BS below. So sad that kids have to be embroiled in an idiotic policy debate instead of being care-free kids. Great decision Diocese!!!! If someone doesn’t like it, let them go elsewhere. Let the rest of us live our lives.

https://maskoffmonday.com/take-action-now-1/f/contact-your-school-today?embedded_webview=true&fbclid=IwAR0Vm3STgOQI5FquaDzkT1w9efkQrpe0MrmU3yT7EPpm5X4wOTtZmJt7wUk

If the loonies can do the above why can’t us educated folks who believe in science and believe in the sanctity of of for all even outside of the womb?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am reminded of the posts late summer 2020 and all of the people commenting on parochial schools and their push to open schools when all the public’s remained closed.

For what is is worth, my DC will keep their mask on for 2-4 more weeks. After that, we are going to gladly put them in our pocket and replace them with a smile.

I was in favor of the schools being in person. I sent my kids even though we had a virtual option. We still have a responsibility to reduce the burden while cases are very high. That people are so black and white in their thinking is terrible. Masks have a place when cases are high. We should adjust when cases are low. And be ready to utilize them again (along with other mitigation techniques) should cases go up again after Omicron.

This is how I feel too. Before school started our school had a plan to require masks if community spread was in the high or substantial range and likely switch to optional if spread was in the mild or moderate range. I was ok with that. The fact that metrics aren’t being used tells me this is a political thing by the governor’s office (figuring he needs to please the anti maskers who voted for him) and the diocesan leadership is aligned with this stance. It’s gross.

The problem with the metrics approach is that the current metrics were put in place by a political group - the CDc. With the amount of testing we are doing, the metrics are unattainable. Also are case base metrics relevant anymore? Using current metrics, we’d likely see kids unmasked may-September of each year and that’s it.

Doctor here. Hospitalization data is neither political nor tied to another group with interests beyond, well, helping people and understanding our capacity to do so.
You have completely missed the point - it’s not just that people are testing positive more because we are testing more as a whole.
Our hospital system is crushed.

Hospitalization data does NOT support taking masks off in settings like schools (and elsewhere) right now.

and please spare me your false argument about kids not getting sick enough to require hospitalization, or the like.
The reality is that the more this spreads unchecked, the more people do require hospitalization.

Get your kids and yourselves vaccinated. Wear good fitting, quality masks when numbers tell us to do so (like right now).
I agree that this should NOT be a political topic and instead driven by reality. The current reality tells us strongly that now is not the time to be taking away mitigations.

The CDC/Schools aren't using hospitalization as a metric. They are using number of Cases. There is no end insight for forced mitigations, so now parents have been given the right to decide.

I hate that you’ve gotten this far into the pandemic and don’t understand why this would be the case, and somehow think the fact that they don’t track it is a conspiracy theory or similar. It’s not that the CDC doesn’t care about hospitalization numbers, resulting in them not tracking them. It’s that the CDC has a literal (disease control), which is rooted in the straight numbers of the spread of infectious diseases.

Other entities, for example a state department of health, would have a mandate to follow hospitalizations, and indeed they do.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for posting this PP- some people want to see conspiracy when there is none. Even hospitalization is difficult. So many people going in for other reasons and test +….. and yes COVID can cause an illness, but I am talking about trauma and orthopedics. It is hard to get insight into the real issue for many reasons.

Just get through the next 2-4 weeks and we should see #s drop. Sports, bars, restaurants, gyms, and other activities are higher risk than elementary schools for community spread.

[Anonymous]

The Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends mask wearing for children in school.
https://mobile.twitter.com/vapediatricians/status/1483237586399281153

[Anonymous]

So here’s a question I have: if a kid who wears a mask at school sits next to a kid who isn’t wearing a mask, and the unmasked kid tests positive for Covid, is the masked kid now considered a close contact when before they wouldn’t have been (because before both parties were wearing masks)?

I hope the anti mask and anti vax parents (many of whom are the same) are really thinking through what this means for their kids. It’s going to result in their kids having a higher chance of being sent home for several days at a time, perhaps repeatedly. I am not seeing how that’s better than just wearing a mask to school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So here’s a question I have: if a kid who wears a mask at school sits next to a kid who isn’t wearing a mask, and the unmasked kid tests positive for Covid, is the masked kid now considered a close contact when before they wouldn’t have been (because before both parties were wearing masks)?

I hope the anti mask and anti vax parents (many of whom are the same) are really thinking through what this means for their kids. It’s going to result in their kids having a higher chance of being sent home for several days at a time, perhaps repeatedly. I am not seeing how that’s better than just wearing a mask to school?

The communication from our school was somewhat confusing, but my impression is that vaxxed kids only need to isolate if they are symptomatic regardless of mask status. However it does seem that if a vaccinated (or unvaccinated) student who is not wearing a mask ends up coming down with COVID more of the unvaccinated kids will be considered close contacts (unvaccinated kids within a six foot radius instead of a 3 foot radius). But I am not totally sure about that.

Regardless of what people do about masks, it seems like getting the kids vaccinated is a good way to avoid the quarantines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here’s a question I have: if a kid who wears a mask at school sits next to a kid who isn’t wearing a mask, and the unmasked kid tests positive for Covid, is the masked kid now considered a close contact when before they wouldn’t have been (because before both parties were wearing masks)?

I hope the anti mask and anti vax parents (many of whom are the same) are really thinking through what this means for their kids. It’s going to result in their kids having a higher chance of being sent home for several days at a time, perhaps repeatedly. I am not seeing how that’s better than just wearing a mask to school?

The communication from our school was somewhat confusing, but my impression is that vaxxed kids only need to isolate if they are symptomatic regardless of mask status. However it does seem that if a vaccinated (or unvaccinated) student who is not wearing a mask ends up coming down with COVID more of the unvaccinated kids will be considered close contacts (unvaccinated kids within a six foot radius instead of a 3 foot radius). But I am not totally sure about that.

Regardless of what people do about masks, it seems like getting the kids vaccinated is a good way to avoid the quarantines.

“Please note per Fairfax County Health Department guidelines, when a student tests positive, if both students are wearing masks and 3 feet apart, there is no need to quarantine for a close contact. If a student who tests positive was not wearing a mask, all students within 6 feet are considered close contacts, even if they were wearing a mask. If a child within 6 feet is vaccinated, they are not considered to be a close contact if they are not showing symptoms”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So here’s a question I have: if a kid who wears a mask at school sits next to a kid who isn’t wearing a mask, and the unmasked kid tests positive for Covid, is the masked kid now considered a close contact when before they wouldn’t have been (because before both parties were wearing masks)?

I hope the anti mask and anti vax parents (many of whom are the same) are really thinking through what this means for their kids. It’s going to result in their kids having a higher chance of being sent home for several days at a time, perhaps repeatedly. I am not seeing how that’s better than just wearing a mask to school?

After a year and a half of wearing masks, I can say with experience that masks didn’t make any difference. In the context of your questions, if a MASKED student was sitting next to another MASKED student who tested positive for COVID, the student(s) sitting next to them are considers a close contact and asked to quarantine. And that’s with all kids masked.

Kinda shows you how much faith anyone had that wearing a mask did anything …

I imagine it will remain the same now that masks are optional. If a kid tests positive, any kids who were deemed in close contact before will continue to be deemed a close contact, regardless of anyone’s mask decisions. Nothing will change in that regard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here’s a question I have: if a kid who wears a mask at school sits next to a kid who isn’t wearing a mask, and the unmasked kid tests positive for Covid, is the masked kid now considered a close contact when before they wouldn’t have been (because before both parties were wearing masks)?

I hope the anti mask and anti vax parents (many of whom are the same) are really thinking through what this means for their kids. It’s going to result in their kids having a higher chance of being sent home for several days at a time, perhaps repeatedly. I am not seeing how that’s better than just wearing a mask to school?

After a year and a half of wearing masks, I can say with experience that masks didn’t make any difference. In the context of your questions, if a MASKED student was sitting next to another MASKED student who tested positive for COVID, the student(s) sitting next to them are considers a close contact and asked to quarantine. And that’s with all kids masked.

Kinda shows you how much faith anyone had that wearing a mask did anything …

I imagine it will remain the same now that masks are optional. If a kid tests positive, any kids who were deemed in close contact before will continue to be deemed a close contact, regardless of anyone’s mask decisions. Nothing will change in that regard.

That was not our experience this fall. My dd tested positive and the masked kids that she sits with were not required to quarantine. Nor did they get sick.

[Anonymous]

St Veronica just sent guidance on close contacts. Many more will be close contacts - if vaxxed, mask up for 10 days and if unvaxxed, quarantine.

[Anonymous]

All the unmasked kids within 6 feet will now be considered close contacts. And if they’re unvaccinated they will be in and out of quarantine more than once, I bet. Have fun with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here’s a question I have: if a kid who wears a mask at school sits next to a kid who isn’t wearing a mask, and the unmasked kid tests positive for Covid, is the masked kid now considered a close contact when before they wouldn’t have been (because before both parties were wearing masks)?

I hope the anti mask and anti vax parents (many of whom are the same) are really thinking through what this means for their kids. It’s going to result in their kids having a higher chance of being sent home for several days at a time, perhaps repeatedly. I am not seeing how that’s better than just wearing a mask to school?

After a year and a half of wearing masks, I can say with experience that masks didn’t make any difference. In the context of your questions, if a MASKED student was sitting next to another MASKED student who tested positive for COVID, the student(s) sitting next to them are considers a close contact and asked to quarantine. And that’s with all kids masked.

Kinda shows you how much faith anyone had that wearing a mask did anything …

I imagine it will remain the same now that masks are optional. If a kid tests positive, any kids who were deemed in close contact before will continue to be deemed a close contact, regardless of anyone’s mask decisions. Nothing will change in that regard.

What you are saying goes directly against the FCHD guidelines that the PP quoted. According to the health dept if both kids were wearing masks when the exposure occurred, then the kid near the positive case is not considered a close contact and is not asked to do anything differently. And it seems that masks DO change the equation such that a kid who tested positive and wasn't wearing a mask to school will cause a higher number of unvaccinated kids to have to quarantine than they would if the positive case had been wearing a mask.

What you say also goes against my own experience at a diocesan school. The child who sits next to mine tested positive for Covid and my child was not told to quarantine. Unfortunately my child ended up getting it anyway (my child says the kid was often not wearing their mask properly, so not too surprising). It sounds like your school has not been following the guidelines and was making anyone within 3 ft quarantine regardless of masking. But for other schools that were following FCHD guidelines for schools, this will result in more kids being named close contacts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here’s a question I have: if a kid who wears a mask at school sits next to a kid who isn’t wearing a mask, and the unmasked kid tests positive for Covid, is the masked kid now considered a close contact when before they wouldn’t have been (because before both parties were wearing masks)?

I hope the anti mask and anti vax parents (many of whom are the same) are really thinking through what this means for their kids. It’s going to result in their kids having a higher chance of being sent home for several days at a time, perhaps repeatedly. I am not seeing how that’s better than just wearing a mask to school?

After a year and a half of wearing masks, I can say with experience that masks didn’t make any difference. In the context of your questions, if a MASKED student was sitting next to another MASKED student who tested positive for COVID, the student(s) sitting next to them are considers a close contact and asked to quarantine. And that’s with all kids masked.

Kinda shows you how much faith anyone had that wearing a mask did anything …

I imagine it will remain the same now that masks are optional. If a kid tests positive, any kids who were deemed in close contact before will continue to be deemed a close contact, regardless of anyone’s mask decisions. Nothing will change in that regard.

What you are saying goes directly against the FCHD guidelines that the PP quoted. According to the health dept if both kids were wearing masks when the exposure occurred, then the kid near the positive case is not considered a close contact and is not asked to do anything differently. And it seems that masks DO change the equation such that a kid who tested positive and wasn't wearing a mask to school will cause a higher number of unvaccinated kids to have to quarantine than they would if the positive case had been wearing a mask.

What you say also goes against my own experience at a diocesan school. The child who sits next to mine tested positive for Covid and my child was not told to quarantine. Unfortunately my child ended up getting it anyway (my child says the kid was often not wearing their mask properly, so not too surprising). It sounds like your school has not been following the guidelines and was making anyone within 3 ft quarantine regardless of masking. But for other schools that were following FCHD guidelines for schools, this will result in more kids being named close contacts.

Ok well now I’m just ticked off — because on two separate occasions, one of my MASKED kids was asked to quarantine because they were sitting next to another MASKED kid who tested positive. The differentiating factor was whether the contact was “close” — the masks didn’t even enter into it (and again, this was when all students were required to mask).

Maybe that was just the way our Diocesan school did it. But it will remain the same now since they were already apparently over-cautious with their quarantine decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do glad I don’t have to subject my young kids to the BS below. So sad that kids have to be embroiled in an idiotic policy debate instead of being care-free kids. Great decision Diocese!!!! If someone doesn’t like it, let them go elsewhere. Let the rest of us live our lives.

https://maskoffmonday.com/take-action-now-1/f/contact-your-school-today?embedded_webview=true&fbclid=IwAR0Vm3STgOQI5FquaDzkT1w9efkQrpe0MrmU3yT7EPpm5X4wOTtZmJt7wUk

telling people to leave is not a good look and the catholic schools in Northern Virginia would not survive without families who believe in masking, don’t kid yourself. Maybe if you were in southern va you could be so smug. You all should not be happy that half your school parents are disgusted with your school. I have no doubt the administrators who are worried