COVID outbreak since masks optional

[Anonymous]

Keep in mind that school masks are not the only thing that has changed recently. Pretty much everyone has gone back to normal life. Federal offices have lifted mask requirements and have started sending people back to the office. I live on the Hill, multiple families on our block go to SWS and our kids have lots of friends there... I know 3 families that traveled on airplanes for February break that hadn't traveled for 2+ years. The masks are one single variable in a much more complex picture.

My kids go to LT, which had Omicron rip through it just before Christmas despite masking and other measures. We are still doing random testing and have like 95% participation in PK/K weekend testing, which they are pushing despite it being optional and... zero more cases for us. (In fact, the only positive since the break was a staff member who got it during break.) I have no doubt we'll get our uptick at some point and the second Omicron variant is likely coming, but I don't think SWS getting 8 cases at the same time DC returns to business as usual means going mask optional is the culprit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SWS has more cases today. I went back and looked at the stats, and verified that there have been more positive cases documented at SWS over the past 5 school days than any other week this school year (to include the height of omnicron).

You have an uptick citywide. If cases are rising at a school this could be due to the citywide uptick rather than to the lack of masks. I am not convinced personally that the masks are worth it at school. Despite masking a third of my daughter's class got COVID and most got it outside of school or from a sibling. Haven't they said that on the aggregate there wasn't a difference between school districts that used masks and those that didn't? I think the masks should be used at school only when there is a high incidence rate.

The best study on in-school masking we have is the recent one out of Spain, which was a large study where they compared cohorts within the same school districts over the same time periods: the over 6 year olds, who were required to mask, and the under six year olds, who were not masking. They found that transmission was actually *higher* in the masked cohorts, concluding that age, not masking, made the difference in how Covid spread in schools.

The costs of masking in schools, especially for younger kids, are almost certainly higher than the benefits, and so mask *mandates* should never return for school children. Find more effective ways to try to curb the impact of the virus (most importantly vaccination, most importantly of the elderly), and stop trying to manage the pandemic on the backs of children.

^Thank you 🙏

So nice to know that in a sea of irrational parents on the Hill, there are some that see this for what it truly is!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that school masks are not the only thing that has changed recently. Pretty much everyone has gone back to normal life. Federal offices have lifted mask requirements and have started sending people back to the office. I live on the Hill, multiple families on our block go to SWS and our kids have lots of friends there... I know 3 families that traveled on airplanes for February break that hadn't traveled for 2+ years. The masks are one single variable in a much more complex picture.

My kids go to LT, which had Omicron rip through it just before Christmas despite masking and other measures. We are still doing random testing and have like 95% participation in PK/K weekend testing, which they are pushing despite it being optional and... zero more cases for us. (In fact, the only positive since the break was a staff member who got it during break.) I have no doubt we'll get our uptick at some point and the second Omicron variant is likely coming, but I don't think SWS getting 8 cases at the same time DC returns to business as usual means going mask optional is the culprit.

This. There are a lot of confounding variables around masking. One particularly irritating comment I hear from people is "I'm never unmasking because I haven't gotten sick in 2 years!" (oh, ok... and were you socializing, out and about, traveling, going to the office, attending birthday parties, etc etc etc during those last 2 years too? Mmm?)

In any case, yes. Omicron hit my masking school hard in January. They went mask optional on March 1st and no cases have been reported. Does this mean that masks are garbage because when they were wearing them they got sick and now that they're gone they haven't? No. Absolutely not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We can’t force mask kids forever. Sorry. It’s a cold now. See Obama, Hilliard, Psaki, etc. stay home if sick. This is here forever.

Right. My brother lives in Europe, had three doses of vaccine, then got Omicron in December and just got BA2 last week. He tested positive for three days, had very mild cold symptoms on one of them, just fine. Get your shots and you'll be fine, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SWS has more cases today. I went back and looked at the stats, and verified that there have been more positive cases documented at SWS over the past 5 school days than any other week this school year (to include the height of omnicron).

You have an uptick citywide. If cases are rising at a school this could be due to the citywide uptick rather than to the lack of masks. I am not convinced personally that the masks are worth it at school. Despite masking a third of my daughter's class got COVID and most got it outside of school or from a sibling. Haven't they said that on the aggregate there wasn't a difference between school districts that used masks and those that didn't? I think the masks should be used at school only when there is a high incidence rate.

The best study on in-school masking we have is the recent one out of Spain, which was a large study where they compared cohorts within the same school districts over the same time periods: the over 6 year olds, who were required to mask, and the under six year olds, who were not masking. They found that transmission was actually *higher* in the masked cohorts, concluding that age, not masking, made the difference in how Covid spread in schools.

The costs of masking in schools, especially for younger kids, are almost certainly higher than the benefits, and so mask *mandates* should never return for school children. Find more effective ways to try to curb the impact of the virus (most importantly vaccination, most importantly of the elderly), and stop trying to manage the pandemic on the backs of children.

^Thank you 🙏

So nice to know that in a sea of irrational parents on the Hill, there are some that see this for what it truly is!

You are welcome, although I don't live on the Hill (we're in Upper NW, which has a lot of irrational parents as well)!

[Anonymous]

our school has had zero issues. but good luck trying to stir up fears...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:our school has had zero issues. but good luck trying to stir up fears...

Our school (charter) has not changed anything since January and we've seen a small uptick the last couple weeks. So, correlation does not equal causation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:our school has had zero issues. but good luck trying to stir up fears...

Our school (charter) has not changed anything since January and we've seen a small uptick the last couple weeks. So, correlation does not equal causation.

+1. Our charter is still masked indoors. There have been a bunch of cases this week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are there really many kids not masking at SWS? We are at a different Capitol Hill ES and almost everyone is still masking. Especially the PK classes. We considered sending our kid without a mask but thought they would feel uncomfortable to be an outlier, so they are still masking.

I would be surprised to hear there is a large contingent of unmasked kids at SWS given the very conservative approach to Covid I encounter on the Hill.

I think this uptick is related to BA.2 and not the new masking policy.

It would be interesting to find out if the kids or staff testing positive have been masking at the school or not. We'll never get that info, but it would help. I'd bet you anything most of the positives are from people who are still masking, at least in part because people who are still masking are also more likely to test frequently (and I say that as a family whose kid is still masking and who get weekly tests for all family members, so this is not a criticism but an observation).

Interesting. My kids are at LT and kids are 2/3rds unmasked at this point and I think it's actually higher in the lower grades. Teachers seem to be about 50/50 right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that school masks are not the only thing that has changed recently. Pretty much everyone has gone back to normal life. Federal offices have lifted mask requirements and have started sending people back to the office. I live on the Hill, multiple families on our block go to SWS and our kids have lots of friends there... I know 3 families that traveled on airplanes for February break that hadn't traveled for 2+ years. The masks are one single variable in a much more complex picture.

My kids go to LT, which had Omicron rip through it just before Christmas despite masking and other measures. We are still doing random testing and have like 95% participation in PK/K weekend testing, which they are pushing despite it being optional and... zero more cases for us. (In fact, the only positive since the break was a staff member who got it during break.) I have no doubt we'll get our uptick at some point and the second Omicron variant is likely coming, but I don't think SWS getting 8 cases at the same time DC returns to business as usual means going mask optional is the culprit.

100% this. There is an uptick in DC right now. Too soon to say if it's relaxed measures, return to business as usual or BA2 on its way. The schools are reflecting that. Unlikely to be related to school masking policy specifically.

[Anonymous]

SWS parent here. I thought it was 6 kids that tested positive. I was at school on Monday and kids were undergoing asymptomatic testing. The latest notice says 4 were last at school on Monday and 1 on Friday. I'm assuming it is likely due to asymptomatic testing.

Also a large amount of kids are not wearing masks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that school masks are not the only thing that has changed recently. Pretty much everyone has gone back to normal life. Federal offices have lifted mask requirements and have started sending people back to the office. I live on the Hill, multiple families on our block go to SWS and our kids have lots of friends there... I know 3 families that traveled on airplanes for February break that hadn't traveled for 2+ years. The masks are one single variable in a much more complex picture.

My kids go to LT, which had Omicron rip through it just before Christmas despite masking and other measures. We are still doing random testing and have like 95% participation in PK/K weekend testing, which they are pushing despite it being optional and... zero more cases for us. (In fact, the only positive since the break was a staff member who got it during break.) I have no doubt we'll get our uptick at some point and the second Omicron variant is likely coming, but I don't think SWS getting 8 cases at the same time DC returns to business as usual means going mask optional is the culprit.

100% this. There is an uptick in DC right now. Too soon to say if it's relaxed measures, return to business as usual or BA2 on its way. The schools are reflecting that. Unlikely to be related to school masking policy specifically.

True, but school is the only place my kids are forced to spend significant time indoors with others not wearing masks and with unknown vax status. Plenty of vaccinated people have contracted Omicron and it's terribly disruptive to quarantine even if not requiring hospitalization, and arguably a far greater burden than maintaining masks indoors. If schools are in fact essential and need to remain open regardless of community spread, there needs to be greater protection. This is not a discretionary activity and no one under 5 is vaccinated. For all the cheerleading here there are many good reasons to continue mask mandate in schools, on public transit, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that school masks are not the only thing that has changed recently. Pretty much everyone has gone back to normal life. Federal offices have lifted mask requirements and have started sending people back to the office. I live on the Hill, multiple families on our block go to SWS and our kids have lots of friends there... I know 3 families that traveled on airplanes for February break that hadn't traveled for 2+ years. The masks are one single variable in a much more complex picture.

My kids go to LT, which had Omicron rip through it just before Christmas despite masking and other measures. We are still doing random testing and have like 95% participation in PK/K weekend testing, which they are pushing despite it being optional and... zero more cases for us. (In fact, the only positive since the break was a staff member who got it during break.) I have no doubt we'll get our uptick at some point and the second Omicron variant is likely coming, but I don't think SWS getting 8 cases at the same time DC returns to business as usual means going mask optional is the culprit.

100% this. There is an uptick in DC right now. Too soon to say if it's relaxed measures, return to business as usual or BA2 on its way. The schools are reflecting that. Unlikely to be related to school masking policy specifically.

True, but school is the only place my kids are forced to spend significant time indoors with others not wearing masks and with unknown vax status. Plenty of vaccinated people have contracted Omicron and it's terribly disruptive to quarantine even if not requiring hospitalization, and arguably a far greater burden than maintaining masks indoors. If schools are in fact essential and need to remain open regardless of community spread, there needs to be greater protection. This is not a discretionary activity and no one under 5 is vaccinated. For all the cheerleading here there are many good reasons to continue mask mandate in schools, on public transit, etc.

One person in an N95 is better protected in a room full of maskless people than they are wearing a cloth mask in a room with other cloth masks.

Problem solved.

(Black teens and old white men in suits are united in not masking on the metro these days. Quite and alliance)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that school masks are not the only thing that has changed recently. Pretty much everyone has gone back to normal life. Federal offices have lifted mask requirements and have started sending people back to the office. I live on the Hill, multiple families on our block go to SWS and our kids have lots of friends there... I know 3 families that traveled on airplanes for February break that hadn't traveled for 2+ years. The masks are one single variable in a much more complex picture.

My kids go to LT, which had Omicron rip through it just before Christmas despite masking and other measures. We are still doing random testing and have like 95% participation in PK/K weekend testing, which they are pushing despite it being optional and... zero more cases for us. (In fact, the only positive since the break was a staff member who got it during break.) I have no doubt we'll get our uptick at some point and the second Omicron variant is likely coming, but I don't think SWS getting 8 cases at the same time DC returns to business as usual means going mask optional is the culprit.

100% this. There is an uptick in DC right now. Too soon to say if it's relaxed measures, return to business as usual or BA2 on its way. The schools are reflecting that. Unlikely to be related to school masking policy specifically.

True, but school is the only place my kids are forced to spend significant time indoors with others not wearing masks and with unknown vax status. Plenty of vaccinated people have contracted Omicron and it's terribly disruptive to quarantine even if not requiring hospitalization, and arguably a far greater burden than maintaining masks indoors. If schools are in fact essential and need to remain open regardless of community spread, there needs to be greater protection. This is not a discretionary activity and no one under 5 is vaccinated. For all the cheerleading here there are many good reasons to continue mask mandate in schools, on public transit, etc.

One person in an N95 is better protected in a room full of maskless people than they are wearing a cloth mask in a room with other cloth masks.

Problem solved.

(Black teens and old white men in suits are united in not masking on the metro these days. Quite and alliance)

This. Keep masking your kid with a high-quality mask. Don't force this marginally protective measure on everybody, because not everybody feels that all-day masking is a lesser burden than the potential for a week long isolation period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that school masks are not the only thing that has changed recently. Pretty much everyone has gone back to normal life. Federal offices have lifted mask requirements and have started sending people back to the office. I live on the Hill, multiple families on our block go to SWS and our kids have lots of friends there... I know 3 families that traveled on airplanes for February break that hadn't traveled for 2+ years. The masks are one single variable in a much more complex picture.

My kids go to LT, which had Omicron rip through it just before Christmas despite masking and other measures. We are still doing random testing and have like 95% participation in PK/K weekend testing, which they are pushing despite it being optional and... zero more cases for us. (In fact, the only positive since the break was a staff member who got it during break.) I have no doubt we'll get our uptick at some point and the second Omicron variant is likely coming, but I don't think SWS getting 8 cases at the same time DC returns to business as usual means going mask optional is the culprit.

100% this. There is an uptick in DC right now. Too soon to say if it's relaxed measures, return to business as usual or BA2 on its way. The schools are reflecting that. Unlikely to be related to school masking policy specifically.

True, but school is the only place my kids are forced to spend significant time indoors with others not wearing masks and with unknown vax status. Plenty of vaccinated people have contracted Omicron and it's terribly disruptive to quarantine even if not requiring hospitalization, and arguably a far greater burden than maintaining masks indoors. If schools are in fact essential and need to remain open regardless of community spread, there needs to be greater protection. This is not a discretionary activity and no one under 5 is vaccinated. For all the cheerleading here there are many good reasons to continue mask mandate in schools, on public transit, etc.

One person in an N95 is better protected in a room full of maskless people than they are wearing a cloth mask in a room with other cloth masks.

Problem solved.

(Black teens and old white men in suits are united in not masking on the metro these days. Quite and alliance)

This. Keep masking your kid with a high-quality mask. Don't force this marginally protective measure on everybody, because not everybody feels that all-day masking is a lesser burden than the potential for a week long isolation period.

Especially when it is not all clear how much the chance of said isolation period is actually reduced by masks. The risk reduction is certainly far from 100%, and might be as low as 10%. We just don't know because there are no controlled studies. The closest we have to a controlled study is the one from Spain, which showed no protective impact of the mask mandate.