MCPS will now send kids home for ten days based on symptoms only

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why won’t the Health Department take responsibility for the directive? Is it possible Dr. McKnight misinterpreted their guidance? And why not communicate to the public what is going on? When you start quarantining 1000 kids overnight with no warning or explanation, and yoU have different principals sending different notes out and interpreting the advice differently, you absolutely erode any grace the public might have given you if you were transparent. Also, why not do rapid testing? Why not push back against the health department, corral some support from parents if needed. Something doesn’t compute here.

Because Dr. Gayles is on his way out. This is his middle finger as he leaves. Once he's gone I bet this won't even be an issue anymore. Rapid tests should be done, by the health room nurse or tech, which again is under DHHS.

Rapid tests aren’t as reliable as PCR

Agree but they are a good in the moment measure to determine if an entire grade level needs to be sent home because a kid has a headache. If the rapid is negative, kids can stay in school unless the PCR comes back positive. The in and out this year is going to be ridiculous.

Put a kid through two tests? Yeah no

Except mcps doesn’t require two tests as suggested by PP which is even dumber than a rapid test
Then, deal with kids being sent home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What happens in winter when more kids have a bit coughing and stuffy nose /runny nose?

A bit of coughing and stuffy nose aren’t on the list. Persistent coughing will mean you need to test.

No - the list doesn’t say “a lot of coughing” - any cough counts

There is a differentiation if said child has a documented history of asthma. But new persistent cough yes going home

Persistent does not equal “a bit”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why won’t the Health Department take responsibility for the directive? Is it possible Dr. McKnight misinterpreted their guidance? And why not communicate to the public what is going on? When you start quarantining 1000 kids overnight with no warning or explanation, and yoU have different principals sending different notes out and interpreting the advice differently, you absolutely erode any grace the public might have given you if you were transparent. Also, why not do rapid testing? Why not push back against the health department, corral some support from parents if needed. Something doesn’t compute here.

Because Dr. Gayles is on his way out. This is his middle finger as he leaves. Once he's gone I bet this won't even be an issue anymore. Rapid tests should be done, by the health room nurse or tech, which again is under DHHS.

Rapid tests aren’t as reliable as PCR

Agree but they are a good in the moment measure to determine if an entire grade level needs to be sent home because a kid has a headache. If the rapid is negative, kids can stay in school unless the PCR comes back positive. The in and out this year is going to be ridiculous.

Put a kid through two tests? Yeah no

You’ve got some funny ideas about what is onerous. 6 yo calls it “the nose tickle,” FFS.

Adults call it brain tickler

That’s not how it’s done at most places now. It is no big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why won’t the Health Department take responsibility for the directive? Is it possible Dr. McKnight misinterpreted their guidance? And why not communicate to the public what is going on? When you start quarantining 1000 kids overnight with no warning or explanation, and yoU have different principals sending different notes out and interpreting the advice differently, you absolutely erode any grace the public might have given you if you were transparent. Also, why not do rapid testing? Why not push back against the health department, corral some support from parents if needed. Something doesn’t compute here.

Because Dr. Gayles is on his way out. This is his middle finger as he leaves. Once he's gone I bet this won't even be an issue anymore. Rapid tests should be done, by the health room nurse or tech, which again is under DHHS.

Rapid tests aren’t as reliable as PCR

Agree but they are a good in the moment measure to determine if an entire grade level needs to be sent home because a kid has a headache. If the rapid is negative, kids can stay in school unless the PCR comes back positive. The in and out this year is going to be ridiculous.

They aren't going to send a kid home with a basic headache. Be real. If you didn't want the in/out you could have done private or virtual. Stop complaining and deal with it. You wanted schools open. You want no testing. You got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why won’t the Health Department take responsibility for the directive? Is it possible Dr. McKnight misinterpreted their guidance? And why not communicate to the public what is going on? When you start quarantining 1000 kids overnight with no warning or explanation, and yoU have different principals sending different notes out and interpreting the advice differently, you absolutely erode any grace the public might have given you if you were transparent. Also, why not do rapid testing? Why not push back against the health department, corral some support from parents if needed. Something doesn’t compute here.

Because Dr. Gayles is on his way out. This is his middle finger as he leaves. Once he's gone I bet this won't even be an issue anymore. Rapid tests should be done, by the health room nurse or tech, which again is under DHHS.

Rapid tests aren’t as reliable as PCR

Agree but they are a good in the moment measure to determine if an entire grade level needs to be sent home because a kid has a headache. If the rapid is negative, kids can stay in school unless the PCR comes back positive. The in and out this year is going to be ridiculous.

They aren't going to send a kid home with a basic headache. Be real. If you didn't want the in/out you could have done private or virtual. Stop complaining and deal with it. You wanted schools open. You want no testing. You got it.

You are wrong. Not only have they already sent home kids with “basic” headaches but they have also quarantined their classes.

[Anonymous]

I'm calling it. This policy is BS. Dr. Gayles spent the past year insisting in person schooling is unsafe, now he is digging and going against the CDC and the AAP who recommend policies that actually let kids go to school. And the BOE and the Council will go for it because they have spent the past year trusting this man, who may have done some smart things but really. Kids need to be in school. We'd have more options now if he had made some real effort bring kids back last year before the last second

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm calling it. This policy is BS. Dr. Gayles spent the past year insisting in person schooling is unsafe, now he is digging and going against the CDC and the AAP who recommend policies that actually let kids go to school. And the BOE and the Council will go for it because they have spent the past year trusting this man, who may have done some smart things but really. Kids need to be in school. We'd have more options now if he had made some real effort bring kids back last year before the last second

The CDC also recommends many safety precautions including regular testing which isn't being done. There are zero efforts beyond masking to keep our kids safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why won’t the Health Department take responsibility for the directive? Is it possible Dr. McKnight misinterpreted their guidance? And why not communicate to the public what is going on? When you start quarantining 1000 kids overnight with no warning or explanation, and yoU have different principals sending different notes out and interpreting the advice differently, you absolutely erode any grace the public might have given you if you were transparent. Also, why not do rapid testing? Why not push back against the health department, corral some support from parents if needed. Something doesn’t compute here.

Because Dr. Gayles is on his way out. This is his middle finger as he leaves. Once he's gone I bet this won't even be an issue anymore. Rapid tests should be done, by the health room nurse or tech, which again is under DHHS.

Rapid tests aren’t as reliable as PCR

Agree but they are a good in the moment measure to determine if an entire grade level needs to be sent home because a kid has a headache. If the rapid is negative, kids can stay in school unless the PCR comes back positive. The in and out this year is going to be ridiculous.

They aren't going to send a kid home with a basic headache. Be real. If you didn't want the in/out you could have done private or virtual. Stop complaining and deal with it. You wanted schools open. You want no testing. You got it.

You are wrong. Not only have they already sent home kids with “basic” headaches but they have also quarantined their classes.

Then maybe families will keep their sick kids home from school if they don't want quarantined. Good luck with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm calling it. This policy is BS. Dr. Gayles spent the past year insisting in person schooling is unsafe, now he is digging and going against the CDC and the AAP who recommend policies that actually let kids go to school. And the BOE and the Council will go for it because they have spent the past year trusting this man, who may have done some smart things but really. Kids need to be in school. We'd have more options now if he had made some real effort bring kids back last year before the last second

The CDC also recommends many safety precautions including regular testing which isn't being done. There are zero efforts beyond masking to keep our kids safe.

That is not an excuse for creating a policy that discourages kids from going to the nurse when they need care and encourages kids that want to cause trouble to say they have a "headache". This is the creation of a madman who is right to resign his position. He needs a break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why won’t the Health Department take responsibility for the directive? Is it possible Dr. McKnight misinterpreted their guidance? And why not communicate to the public what is going on? When you start quarantining 1000 kids overnight with no warning or explanation, and yoU have different principals sending different notes out and interpreting the advice differently, you absolutely erode any grace the public might have given you if you were transparent. Also, why not do rapid testing? Why not push back against the health department, corral some support from parents if needed. Something doesn’t compute here.

Because Dr. Gayles is on his way out. This is his middle finger as he leaves. Once he's gone I bet this won't even be an issue anymore. Rapid tests should be done, by the health room nurse or tech, which again is under DHHS.

Rapid tests aren’t as reliable as PCR

Agree but they are a good in the moment measure to determine if an entire grade level needs to be sent home because a kid has a headache. If the rapid is negative, kids can stay in school unless the PCR comes back positive. The in and out this year is going to be ridiculous.

Put a kid through two tests? Yeah no

You’ve got some funny ideas about what is onerous. 6 yo calls it “the nose tickle,” FFS.

Adults call it brain tickler

That’s not how it’s done at most places now. It is no big deal.

It really does burn and most doctors offices do for pcr

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm calling it. This policy is BS. Dr. Gayles spent the past year insisting in person schooling is unsafe, now he is digging and going against the CDC and the AAP who recommend policies that actually let kids go to school. And the BOE and the Council will go for it because they have spent the past year trusting this man, who may have done some smart things but really. Kids need to be in school. We'd have more options now if he had made some real effort bring kids back last year before the last second

The CDC also recommends many safety precautions including regular testing which isn't being done. There are zero efforts beyond masking to keep our kids safe.

There is an opt-in testing program. I wish it were opt-out, like DCPS is doing, but there is a program for regular testing for unvaccinated populations. There is also a mandate that adults in the building be vaccinated or test weekly. And they are doing outdoor lunch--every school has a plan to have at least some kids outdoors each day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It really does burn and most doctors offices do for pcr

No, it doesn't burn. You stick a q-tip in your nostril and swirl it around then hold, then do the other nostril. Then you're done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It really does burn and most doctors offices do for pcr

No, it doesn't burn. You stick a q-tip in your nostril and swirl it around then hold, then do the other nostril. Then you're done.

Exactly. The MCPS testing will be the “mid-turbinate swab,” which is what this PP describes. No brain-tickling necessary. I guarantee every kindergartner has had their finger farther up their nose than the swab will go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm calling it. This policy is BS. Dr. Gayles spent the past year insisting in person schooling is unsafe, now he is digging and going against the CDC and the AAP who recommend policies that actually let kids go to school. And the BOE and the Council will go for it because they have spent the past year trusting this man, who may have done some smart things but really. Kids need to be in school. We'd have more options now if he had made some real effort bring kids back last year before the last second

The CDC also recommends many safety precautions including regular testing which isn't being done. There are zero efforts beyond masking to keep our kids safe.

There is an opt-in testing program. I wish it were opt-out, like DCPS is doing, but there is a program for regular testing for unvaccinated populations. There is also a mandate that adults in the building be vaccinated or test weekly. And they are doing outdoor lunch--every school has a plan to have at least some kids outdoors each day.

This is against cdc guidelines and only k-6.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm calling it. This policy is BS. Dr. Gayles spent the past year insisting in person schooling is unsafe, now he is digging and going against the CDC and the AAP who recommend policies that actually let kids go to school. And the BOE and the Council will go for it because they have spent the past year trusting this man, who may have done some smart things but really. Kids need to be in school. We'd have more options now if he had made some real effort bring kids back last year before the last second

The CDC also recommends many safety precautions including regular testing which isn't being done. There are zero efforts beyond masking to keep our kids safe.

That is not an excuse for creating a policy that discourages kids from going to the nurse when they need care and encourages kids that want to cause trouble to say they have a "headache". This is the creation of a madman who is right to resign his position. He needs a break.

No one is discouraging kids. If you as a parent discourage your kid from receiving care that’s on you (and makes you a pos).