Georgetown Prep went online due to 30 Covid cases, with exams in January. It’s mainly a day school but half the cases were in the dorm. I hear most cases have no symptoms or are very mild.
Hello all! I’m back from a long hiatus (I couldn’t steer clear of the covid-mania elsewhere on this site). My 22 was accepted ED by a T20 school this week and we couldn’t be happier. Best of luck to all our fellow parents of 22’s!
Pivoting now, and speaking of paralyzing hypervigilance, the Head of School at the Lawrenceville School sent an email earlier this week stating that even though the CDC hasn’t changed the definition of fully vaccinated to include a booster shot, “the School” will likely be changing the definition for it’s students soon, meaning that boosters will be mandatory.
I’m personally outraged at the impending decision, due to the extreme low-risk of COVID to kids and the fact that Lville has had a total of about 8 cases on campus this entire term.
Curious what others think and if there will be pushback from parents on this. Do you think other BS will follow suit?
Plus there’s this good read where finally someone is saying it out loud: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/12/where-i-live-no-one-cares-about-covid/620958/
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Since 2 shot vaccine effectiveness is plummeting after 6 months, a “booster” is really a necessary part of the vaccine protocol.
Fully support Lawrenceville in doing this.
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That is factually incorrect. Vaccine effectiveness does not decline after 6 months, let alone “plummet”. Antibody titers decline by 6 months. And that is a completely expected response, as long-term immunity does not reside in circulating antibodies; it resides in memory B cells. And memory B cells last much, much longer. Hence the need to get tetanus boosters only every 10 years. The third to fourth doses of pediatric vaccines (children <6 years old) are administered because those patients are immunologically immature and have hyperactive immune systems creating an arsenal of antibodies to countless antigens/pathogens. Their ability to maintain particular antibodies requires the repeated exposure. That is not the case with teens and adults.
Politics continue to drive decisions, not science. And this continues to line up as a face-off between the interests of the old and those of the young. But that’s just my opinion.
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Let’s leave discussions about vaccine efficacy and any other non–school COVID discussion for the existing Covid thread.
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I don’t know if its the flu but definitely a bug going around the Princeton area. Mostly it feels like a bad head cold but it lingers for several days.
We have that circulating around here too…my husband had it a few weeks ago, kiddo2 has it now, and I’m pretty sure I’m coming down with it. Covid & flu tests have all been negative, so it’s yet another virus making the rounds. I expected this to be a rough winter in terms of illness, but didn’t think we’d have covid, flu and cold viruses all hitting hard at once!!
A BS Christmas Vacation Poem - my gift to you all 
(ala Winter Wonderland song)
Student’s stressed, are you listening
On their brows, sweat is glistening
A typical sight, they’re burned out tonight
Living in a BS wonderland
Teachers wait for the last day
To give tests, like the old way
Stay out of the fray, study and pray
Living in a BS wonderland
On vacation, it will be a blow out
Surfing on the coach, or lying in the sun
Dinners with the family might be boring
But hoping gifts come to me by the ton!
Later on, we’ll perspire
Waiting for grades by the fire,
A break for more than a week - Thats what we seek
Living in a BS wonderland!
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4 of those are since returning from break (2.5 weeks). The entire varsity basketball team is in quarantine. It’s not “nothing.”
Anyways, there’s no evidence of student-student transmission at the very least; I had a class with one of them and I’m both negative and asymptomatic, as are the others. It’s actually mainly been the flu (the third wave this year 
) that’s been getting people, most people who’ve gone home have that.
In other news, all major assignments are done for turkey term! Now we get to revel and relax with holiday traditions.
I swear, politics keep making their way into CC these days.
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Our last day of classes (at Lawrenceville) today was cancelled. It was only a half day, so it doesn’t really matter, anyways. Campus is still open, though, and sports are still going on, so I’m thinking it was in part just to let students relax a bit since today doesn’t really count. Anyways, I had at least 3 friends who only saw the email while they were sprinting to class at 7:58 
Yup PA continues to do a very good job of providing this info.
ACE
Always Check Email!
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Taft had a bit more than 10% of the student body test positive for the flu and asked those students to head home early. The request didn’t affect students who weren’t ill. You’re correct that affected students are taking exams remotely.
Forget viruses…
My kid’s school is worried about TikTok.
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I saw that about the thing going around on TikTok. Most recent article I read says authorities say there’s no credible threat, but awful regardless. What a world.
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Real threats rarely give you a heads up.
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Was just perusing the CalTech EA thread (kiddo hasn’t applied there, just looking) - results came out today - a certain Choate senior we are all familiar with got in!!!
Go @CavsFan2003 !!!
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Thank you so much 
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WHOOO HOOO, @CavsFan2003!!! Big, big hugs and congratulations! 
congratulations! that’s awesome!