Reply to Does DCPS care? New model shows even with masks, 40% of students will still be infected with Delta

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Reply to "Does DCPS care? New model shows even with masks, 40% of students will still be infected with Delta "

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]What are you trying to say?  What do you mean about given up?

[b]I think that there is a large group of people who feel that virtual school is worse than school+delta.  [/b]

Giving up is assaying, there's no way to be safe from Delta so no school, ever, in person.

[/quote]

Yes.  Agree with this 100%.  Kids need to be in school.

Signed, 
An RN and MD family who will be sending our kids to school and fine if they catch Covid.

Covid is not a health crisis for kids.  Being out of school or in virtual school is. 
[/quote]

Just chiming in to add that this doctor and scientist family disagrees strongly, mostly because all generalizations are untrue and the solution lies in the details.

If something can be done for school lunches, so that it's outside under a large tent (same for PE, band and choir), then people won't have to take masks off indoors, and all will be well. Schools need to require proof of vaccinations for everyone 12+ and require well-fitting masks, so that transmission is lowered and people who get sick are out for less time. Schools also need to require vaccinations for 5-11 as soon as the vaccines come out for that age group. Child-size KF94s work well for kids.

Same for workplaces. If you can eat lunch outdoors, do it. Bundle up in the winter. Otherwise eat away from everyone else, as much as you can. Require proof of vaccination to come into work. Wear a mask that fits. N95, KN95, or KF94. The N95 with the elastic that goes around the head is the gold standard for fit, comfort and safety. Buy some, rotate through them all week. Leaving a used mask for 3-4 days in a cool, dry place will kill all viruses on it. You won't need more than 25 for the year.

This is how you keep schools and workplaces open.

[/quote]

Given that mandatory vaccines for 12+, well-fitting masks, and tents won't happen, what will do you?

Also, are you referring to schools in your synopsis of workplaces?  As in, do you think school workforce vaccinations should be mandatory?

Thank you for the lessons on the masks, though.  I had been wondering how many N95s we'd need.

[/quote]

I don't know. Despite working in virology, it's hard for us to tell when the local risk becomes too much, and obviously, everyone has a different risk tolerance. Just like last year, I find it incredibly frustrating that we have the tools at our disposal, yet we focus our energy and funding elsewhere.

I want to note here that Delta spreads so quickly compared to past variants that doing random batch testing in schools and workplaces won't protect us nearly as well as doing what I've outlined above. Better air filtration is all very well, but for me that's already a given. We need to do more.

I want to set this in the right context: one where we are waiting for the next, even more transmissible and dangerous variant. We need to get into that mindset, and continually think of ways to make our schools and workplaces safer from airborne pathogens, because it will happen. It's only a matter of time. We are putting great evolutionary pressure on this virus, by partially protecting some populations, and we are sitting ducks for a supercharged variant.

So instead of staying home or being fatalistic about catching Covid (which won't help you stay safe from the next variant!), we need to brainstorm ways to modify our communal lives to mitigate ever-increasing risk.

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