[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
The local numbers mean nothing, as long as people are traveling from places where the pandemic is more intense. Western MD does not exist in a vacuum.

This is what people cannot grasp. Sure, schools can open. But I hope no one will be surprised when cases go right back up.


[/quote]

But it sort of does. [b]People have been saying "oh wait until it spreads to rural areas" since March, and it hasn't happened.[/b] It's been 6 months.

I think these areas are less likely to have a spread by design. Those counties are fairly isolated. The nearest major city if you live in Garrett County is Pittsburgh and it's 2 hours away. Same with the nearest airport. People who live there aren't working in DC or Baltimore -- it's just too far.

Then add in that it's more rural and people are more spread out. You have fewer people living in cramped apartment buildings. If you look in Montgomery County, most of the non-nursing breakouts are in areas with a high population density and close living conditions, like Silver Spring, and not in Boyds or Mt Airy (data by zipcode is on MD's website).

[/quote]

I think it is happening now.

Garrett County used to have the lowest COVID spread of all the MD counties -- used to be 1 new case per 100,000 per day or less!

Now they have a higher rate of spread than Baltimore City and Prince George's County which had been the most hot bu this virus. They are already at 14 and rising fast. I guess everyone has to go through it. How are their hospitals?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am from the area. Particularly in Garrett County, there is no high-speed internet and a significant portion of students don't have access to online school.

Allegany County is only bringing back the career center students (hands-on training) and the significantly special ed in a select few schools.

The schools there are small to begin with. I graduated from a school grade 7-12 that had around 700 kids total.

And that's part of the point. If a school system can do it, because cases are low and they're not as populated, they should.

Percentage-wise though, it's not largely different than what Fairfax County is suggesting and everyone there is freaking out about the low return.

Very different political demographics between those two school systems. This is not about public health metrics. This is about politics. The Western maryland districts have had kids back on campus successfully for weeks now.

"Very different political demographics," yes.

"This is about politics," no.

"Western maryland districts have had kids back on campus successfully for weeks now," incorrect. Garrett County has been back only a few weeks, and only K and 1. Other grades are phasing in, a bunch are supposed to start Monday. But numbers are rising and there's been an outbreak in an elementary school. Allegany County is doing a phased-in approach too. They're up to third grade, to date.

Signed, a person with an Allegany County address

Op, I am sorry to be rude but you are truly stupid. Are you actually comparing western counties with MCPS situation?? Are you f’king serious?

Outbreaks happen, even in the sticks.

GCPS Announces Classroom Outbreak of COVID-19
Last Updated on Oct 22, 2020 at 3:22pm

Two individuals in the same classroom at a northern elementary school have tested positive for COVID-19. Both individuals are isolating at home. Because this meets the definition of an “outbreak,” individuals deemed close contacts will also be asked to quarantine. The CDC now defines close contact as someone less than six feet from a COVID positive individual for more than 15 cumulative minutes in 24 hours with or without a mask. Garrett County Public Schools are working in conjunction with the Garrett County Health Department to investigate the situation. Garrett County Public Schools will follow its comprehensive internal plan for an outbreak, including consistent sanitizing, informing families whose students were at risk of exposure or in close contact, and supporting the affected family. Through collaboration with the Garrett County Health Department and contact tracing, it has been determined that out of an abundance of caution that the individuals in the classroom will all be required to quarantine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The local numbers mean nothing, as long as people are traveling from places where the pandemic is more intense. Western MD does not exist in a vacuum.

This is what people cannot grasp. Sure, schools can open. But I hope no one will be surprised when cases go right back up.

But it sort of does. People have been saying "oh wait until it spreads to rural areas" since March, and it hasn't happened. It's been 6 months.

I think these areas are less likely to have a spread by design. Those counties are fairly isolated. The nearest major city if you live in Garrett County is Pittsburgh and it's 2 hours away. Same with the nearest airport. People who live there aren't working in DC or Baltimore -- it's just too far.

Then add in that it's more rural and people are more spread out. You have fewer people living in cramped apartment buildings. If you look in Montgomery County, most of the non-nursing breakouts are in areas with a high population density and close living conditions, like Silver Spring, and not in Boyds or Mt Airy (data by zipcode is on MD's website).

The issue with spread to rural areas is it is isn't linear and predictable, it just takes one group of unlucky and/or careless people. Like at that wedding in Maine, or one church that refused to mask up where an outbreak started in my parents' rural county last month, for the first time since March. In those areas being open but nimble to close (as happened in my childhood school district when too many staff got sick) is key.

Anonymous wrote:I'm from there originally. The cases have been primarily in nursing homes and the prison but they are afraid of the college kids.

Once they open those super spreaders called schools it's all over for them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some data from Washington County:

4,568 students attending in-person instruction
9,062 students have been invited back for in-person instruction
21,972 total students

So about 20% of students are back in school so far.

https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/local/meinelschmidt-wants-to-hold-boe-harmless-financially-with-enrollment-down/article_d73d8944-78b3-596c-adfe-35c8dcec105f.html

My DC's HS is about half the size of the students attending in person. That is one tiny district.

It's #11 out of 25 in Maryland: https://www.niche.com/k12/search/largest-school-districts/s/maryland/

Anonymous wrote:Some data from Washington County:

4,568 students attending in-person instruction
9,062 students have been invited back for in-person instruction
21,972 total students

So about 20% of students are back in school so far.

https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/local/meinelschmidt-wants-to-hold-boe-harmless-financially-with-enrollment-down/article_d73d8944-78b3-596c-adfe-35c8dcec105f.html

My DC's HS is about half the size of the students attending in person. That is one tiny district.

Some data from Washington County:

4,568 students attending in-person instruction
9,062 students have been invited back for in-person instruction
21,972 total students

So about 20% of students are back in school so far.

https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/local/meinelschmidt-wants-to-hold-boe-harmless-financially-with-enrollment-down/article_d73d8944-78b3-596c-adfe-35c8dcec105f.html

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am from the area. Particularly in Garrett County, there is no high-speed internet and a significant portion of students don't have access to online school.

Allegany County is only bringing back the career center students (hands-on training) and the significantly special ed in a select few schools.

The schools there are small to begin with. I graduated from a school grade 7-12 that had around 700 kids total.

And that's part of the point. If a school system can do it, because cases are low and they're not as populated, they should.

Percentage-wise though, it's not largely different than what Fairfax County is suggesting and everyone there is freaking out about the low return.

Very different political demographics between those two school systems. This is not about public health metrics. This is about politics. The Western maryland districts have had kids back on campus successfully for weeks now.

Garrett Co high schools are already at 50% capacity. They can easily distance the kids compared to most school systems.

Washington County will go to Phase 3 next week:
http://wcpsmd.com/news/wcps-announces-stage-3-start-october-12

Already some kids have been back in school since mid-September (pre-k, special ed, ESL). This expands it to Kindergarten, students at the technical high school, and other students who are not doing well at DL.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am from the area. Particularly in Garrett County, there is no high-speed internet and a significant portion of students don't have access to online school.

Allegany County is only bringing back the career center students (hands-on training) and the significantly special ed in a select few schools.

The schools there are small to begin with. I graduated from a school grade 7-12 that had around 700 kids total.

And that's part of the point. If a school system can do it, because cases are low and they're not as populated, they should.

Percentage-wise though, it's not largely different than what Fairfax County is suggesting and everyone there is freaking out about the low return.

Anonymous wrote:I am from the area. Particularly in Garrett County, there is no high-speed internet and a significant portion of students don't have access to online school.

Allegany County is only bringing back the career center students (hands-on training) and the significantly special ed in a select few schools.

The schools there are small to begin with. I graduated from a school grade 7-12 that had around 700 kids total.

And that's part of the point. If a school system can do it, because cases are low and they're not as populated, they should.