Anonymous wrote:If hairdressers and salons and restaurants can figure it out. So should schools.

Salons are appointment only, one person at a time. Restaurants are outside or greatly reduced capacity. Neither of these compare to schools at all.

If hairdressers and salons and restaurants can figure it out. So should schools.

Anonymous wrote:I visited my school to pack. Not much had changed other than more people wearing masks. No extra soap, hand sanitizer, signs, plexiglass, temperature checks. Total lack of effort beyond staying away from the building. They were offering disposable gloves, but that was it. I think people should dramatically lower their expectations about what schools can do. Just getting masks will be difficult. If doctor's offices can't get it right now, then I don't think schools have much of a chance. I know we have three months, but I don't think it is enough time for distribution and planning to catch up. We are still under a stay at home order and that is tying our hands until it lifts.

So you are saying we must keep schools closed because the school districts are too incompetent to put even simple precautions in place? They'd rather sacrifice kids' education/socialization and families' livelihoods than get their act together to buy PPE and sanitizers? But somehow they can get Chromebooks and high-speed internet to all the kids in need?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with “soap is enough”. The virus is airborne. It is a respiratory illness. All the soap in the world isn’t going to keep anyone safe and you know it! That’s why we’re all wearing masks in stores, on public transit, and around other people in general. Schools are not magically safe because you want them to open.

Actually, in the context of normal human interaction, the WHO does not consider airborne transmission a risk:

"In the context of COVID-19, airborne transmission may be possible in specific circumstances and settings in which procedures or support treatments that generate aerosols are performed; i.e., endotracheal intubation, bronchoscopy, open suctioning, administration of nebulized treatment, manual ventilation before intubation, turning the patient to the prone position, disconnecting the patient from the ventilator, non-invasive positive-pressure ventilation, tracheostomy, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation."

https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/modes-of-transmission-of-virus-causing-covid-19-implications-for-ipc-precaution-recommendations

I assume you do not have perform the procedures described above on your students. A mask will protect you from droplet transmission.

Who is going to provide masks to teachers?

The school districts must. You aren't seriously trying to argue that the difficulty of getting masks to teachers should prevent us from opening schools, are you?

No. I assume the same thing will happen that happened in February and early March. Schools will be open and every day, teachers will be told that supplies are coming and will be distributed as soon as they arrive. I didn’t buy my own classroom hand sanitizer or wipes because I had nothing better to do with my money. I did it because my school did not distribute any cleaning supplies. I could get one box of facial tissues a week. That’s what I assume will happen. I really hope that I am wrong.

Even if the school district should fail to provide masks (I cannot imagine they will), don't all the teachers have their own masks by now? I mean, you wear them when shopping, right? Masks have become something like a piece of clothing, and teachers don't expect the school district to dress them. That said, I still think masks must be made available by the employer, and in September, this shouldn't be a problem anymore.

I visited my school to pack. Not much had changed other than more people wearing masks. No extra soap, hand sanitizer, signs, plexiglass, temperature checks. Total lack of effort beyond staying away from the building. They were offering disposable gloves, but that was it. I think people should dramatically lower their expectations about what schools can do. Just getting masks will be difficult. If doctor's offices can't get it right now, then I don't think schools have much of a chance. I know we have three months, but I don't think it is enough time for distribution and planning to catch up. We are still under a stay at home order and that is tying our hands until it lifts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if hospital and nursing home workers were this demanding about not going back to work?

School is just as essential as healthcare. You all are being absolutely ridiculous.

"I'm not going back until I feel it's a completely safe working environment"!
Newsflash: teaching has literally NEVER been a completely safe working environment. Teachers catch things from kids all the tine. Kids bring weapons to school etc...if you will not go back until there is zero risk than you need to find a new career.

This. School is an essential societal function just like healthcare. If there are unavoidable risks the job brings, you have to assume them when you go into the job. The good news about Covid is that if you are under 65 and don't have any severe pre-existing conditions, the actual risk for you is vanishingly small.

Yes, but Covid wasn't around when teachers chose the career. So many people are commenting like teachers don't want to go back. They do. We would all like to reclaim the happy bliss that was last fall with normal operations. But now "there are unavoidable risks the job brings" and teachers will decide if they want to go back to the job. It's easy to say they should just quit, then. The problem is, if enough do, there aren't enough teachers to go back. Already at the normal rate of retirement and resignations, the county struggles each fall to start with full staffing. Simply doubling the retirees (next year's group retiring this year, for example) would be a real strain - not sure how easily they can fill those jobs at this point. More than that? It's a problem. Who is volunteering for their kids to start school with rotating substitutes for their teacher? We already have a sub shortage, and good grief is it hard to find long term subs. If you are busy writing letters to the BOE, at least make it clear that in-person is more important to you than a certified teacher, and as long as there is someone monitoring a class, you aren't worried about the quality of teaching.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with “soap is enough”. The virus is airborne. It is a respiratory illness. All the soap in the world isn’t going to keep anyone safe and you know it! That’s why we’re all wearing masks in stores, on public transit, and around other people in general. Schools are not magically safe because you want them to open.

Actually, in the context of normal human interaction, the WHO does not consider airborne transmission a risk:

"In the context of COVID-19, airborne transmission may be possible in specific circumstances and settings in which procedures or support treatments that generate aerosols are performed; i.e., endotracheal intubation, bronchoscopy, open suctioning, administration of nebulized treatment, manual ventilation before intubation, turning the patient to the prone position, disconnecting the patient from the ventilator, non-invasive positive-pressure ventilation, tracheostomy, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation."

https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/modes-of-transmission-of-virus-causing-covid-19-implications-for-ipc-precaution-recommendations

I assume you do not have perform the procedures described above on your students. A mask will protect you from droplet transmission.

Who is going to provide masks to teachers?

The school districts must. You aren't seriously trying to argue that the difficulty of getting masks to teachers should prevent us from opening schools, are you?

No. I assume the same thing will happen that happened in February and early March. Schools will be open and every day, teachers will be told that supplies are coming and will be distributed as soon as they arrive. I didn’t buy my own classroom hand sanitizer or wipes because I had nothing better to do with my money. I did it because my school did not distribute any cleaning supplies. I could get one box of facial tissues a week. That’s what I assume will happen. I really hope that I am wrong.

Anonymous wrote:Stop with “soap is enough”. The virus is airborne. It is a respiratory illness. All the soap in the world isn’t going to keep anyone safe and you know it! That’s why we’re all wearing masks in stores, on public transit, and around other people in general. Schools are not magically safe because you want them to open.

Washing hands is important. Just like it does with the flu and colds. The virus can get on hands and then you get it when you touch your eyes and mouth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if hospital and nursing home workers were this demanding about not going back to work?

School is just as essential as healthcare. You all are being absolutely ridiculous.

"I'm not going back until I feel it's a completely safe working environment"!
Newsflash: teaching has literally NEVER been a completely safe working environment. Teachers catch things from kids all the tine. Kids bring weapons to school etc...if you will not go back until there is zero risk than you need to find a new career.

It’s a dirty secret, but some have been —especially when PPE was not available. Our pediatrician’s office closed because the nurses and assistants demanded PPE. The doctors couldn’t get sufficient. So they closed in April and remain closed.

I'm sure they will be reopened by September.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with “soap is enough”. The virus is airborne. It is a respiratory illness. All the soap in the world isn’t going to keep anyone safe and you know it! That’s why we’re all wearing masks in stores, on public transit, and around other people in general. Schools are not magically safe because you want them to open.

Actually, in the context of normal human interaction, the WHO does not consider airborne transmission a risk:

"In the context of COVID-19, airborne transmission may be possible in specific circumstances and settings in which procedures or support treatments that generate aerosols are performed; i.e., endotracheal intubation, bronchoscopy, open suctioning, administration of nebulized treatment, manual ventilation before intubation, turning the patient to the prone position, disconnecting the patient from the ventilator, non-invasive positive-pressure ventilation, tracheostomy, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation."

https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/modes-of-transmission-of-virus-causing-covid-19-implications-for-ipc-precaution-recommendations

I assume you do not have perform the procedures described above on your students. A mask will protect you from droplet transmission.

Who is going to provide masks to teachers?

The school districts must. You aren't seriously trying to argue that the difficulty of getting masks to teachers should prevent us from opening schools, are you?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with “soap is enough”. The virus is airborne. It is a respiratory illness. All the soap in the world isn’t going to keep anyone safe and you know it! That’s why we’re all wearing masks in stores, on public transit, and around other people in general. Schools are not magically safe because you want them to open.

Actually, in the context of normal human interaction, the WHO does not consider airborne transmission a risk:

"In the context of COVID-19, airborne transmission may be possible in specific circumstances and settings in which procedures or support treatments that generate aerosols are performed; i.e., endotracheal intubation, bronchoscopy, open suctioning, administration of nebulized treatment, manual ventilation before intubation, turning the patient to the prone position, disconnecting the patient from the ventilator, non-invasive positive-pressure ventilation, tracheostomy, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation."

https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/modes-of-transmission-of-virus-causing-covid-19-implications-for-ipc-precaution-recommendations

I assume you do not have perform the procedures described above on your students. A mask will protect you from droplet transmission.

Who is going to provide masks to teachers?

Their employer: MCPS. (Assuming that the teachers don't already have their own masks.)

I just emailed the BoE and Jack Smith., with copies to my councilmembers, telling them that schools need to open on August 31. Elementary school, middle school, high school, every weekday, for the whole day.

The more emails they receive, the better.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with “soap is enough”. The virus is airborne. It is a respiratory illness. All the soap in the world isn’t going to keep anyone safe and you know it! That’s why we’re all wearing masks in stores, on public transit, and around other people in general. Schools are not magically safe because you want them to open.

Actually, in the context of normal human interaction, the WHO does not consider airborne transmission a risk:

"In the context of COVID-19, airborne transmission may be possible in specific circumstances and settings in which procedures or support treatments that generate aerosols are performed; i.e., endotracheal intubation, bronchoscopy, open suctioning, administration of nebulized treatment, manual ventilation before intubation, turning the patient to the prone position, disconnecting the patient from the ventilator, non-invasive positive-pressure ventilation, tracheostomy, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation."

https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/modes-of-transmission-of-virus-causing-covid-19-implications-for-ipc-precaution-recommendations

I assume you do not have perform the procedures described above on your students. A mask will protect you from droplet transmission.

Who is going to provide masks to teachers?

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if hospital and nursing home workers were this demanding about not going back to work?

School is just as essential as healthcare. You all are being absolutely ridiculous.

"I'm not going back until I feel it's a completely safe working environment"!
Newsflash: teaching has literally NEVER been a completely safe working environment. Teachers catch things from kids all the tine. Kids bring weapons to school etc...if you will not go back until there is zero risk than you need to find a new career.

It’s a dirty secret, but some have been —especially when PPE was not available. Our pediatrician’s office closed because the nurses and assistants demanded PPE. The doctors couldn’t get sufficient. So they closed in April and remain closed.

Anonymous wrote:Stop with “soap is enough”. The virus is airborne. It is a respiratory illness. All the soap in the world isn’t going to keep anyone safe and you know it! That’s why we’re all wearing masks in stores, on public transit, and around other people in general. Schools are not magically safe because you want them to open.

Actually, in the context of normal human interaction, the WHO does not consider airborne transmission a risk:

"In the context of COVID-19, airborne transmission may be possible in specific circumstances and settings in which procedures or support treatments that generate aerosols are performed; i.e., endotracheal intubation, bronchoscopy, open suctioning, administration of nebulized treatment, manual ventilation before intubation, turning the patient to the prone position, disconnecting the patient from the ventilator, non-invasive positive-pressure ventilation, tracheostomy, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation."

https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/modes-of-transmission-of-virus-causing-covid-19-implications-for-ipc-precaution-recommendations

I assume you do not have perform the procedures described above on your students. A mask will protect you from droplet transmission.