Our school IMHO is even stricter than the MA policy - everyone was in masks this week and all students were tested twice before returning on campus. However, there are faculty and staff on campus - also family members living on campus coming and going, so there is some exposure. Most kids have been boosted. Not sure about faculty.
BTW - I am curious if you all have encountered teachers who are anti-vaccine? Many reasons why…not judging, just curious how common it is in your school communities.
I believe at the Parent weekend meeting, or in a newsletter, faculty/staff vaccination rate was 98-99%
Kiddo1’s school requires vaccines, boosters, and regular testing for the entire school community. They do allow for medical & religious exemptions. I believe faculty is 98% vaccinated and other school employees are 96% vaccinated. Whether or not faculty family members are required to be vaccinated is an interesting question.
The universities that are going remote are fully vaccinated (IVY, NESCAC, etc.)
Both kids at a table with my kid in a class now have Covid. Just goes to show that testing 3 times prior to being allowed back did not really work as hoped.
Honestly, I’m not all that concerned. Though this was pre-Omicron (somewhere in the December 10-17 time), I sat next to a person in class one day who was later found to be positive; at the time, I had not yet been boosted. My next three school-based tests came out negative anyways. We actually had around 5 or 6 cases on the last day before break (classes were cancelled because of that), but it all seemed to be independent, i.e. no spread. The break return is going to be the real test, though.
I think there’s several factors to be considered, most of which should hopefully dispel panic/worry.
Even if Unvaccinated, students have an extraordinarily low risk of having severe disease with Covid (and yet most boarding school and college students are vaccinated)
Vast majority of teachers, staff, are not only vaccinated but probably boosted.
I think it is a fair question to ask, why even test? Particularly asymptomatic students and staff. Is this a relic to prevaccination days?
For example, for almost the last two years, I’ve had my temperature taken every single day I walk into work. Naturally, I’ve never had a fever because I would be aware I was sick and therefore would not have come into work. Yet we still do it because that’s what we did in the beginning.
It will be interesting to see which educational institutions have been able to evolve in their approach
They make it almost impossible to get tested in the South, so you can’t really compare the numbers with any accuracy.
Omicron is so much more transmissible that if you sit with people at lunch that then test positive there’s a good chance you get it. On the flip side, getting it isn’t that bad.
Kiddos school is closed to visitors for next 10 days and won’t allow students to leave either. I really hope after these 10 days they relax things a bit-it’s really hurting morale. Several of her friends tested positive in the routine back to school testing, including her roommate. It’s a weird climate there with lots of kids not back and not having all the perks they had in the fall…during the most depressing season of the year.
At DD’s school one can only eat in dorm or outside. She said there were kids eating outside, in 20 degree weather because of bad relationships with roommate.
Both kids at her table tested negative Monday. They started feeling sick so went to the health center. Not all are asymptotic.
Ugh. I feel your worry, @AnonMomof2 .
I’d guess this is going to be a crazy, but not disastrous, month. The challenge is likely going to be # of infirmary beds.
What are schools doing about students and faculty who have recovered from Covid? Do those individuals have to have regular testing or are they exempt for 90 days? It’s uncommon but there are some false positives after a case.
My son said about 2/3 of the student population made it back on campus on time - I am sure it is a mix of travel delays, testing delays (negative PCR results were required) as well as positive test results.
It’s important to remember that “mild” Covid still includes serious flu like symptoms. Mild just means not going to the hospital. People I know with omicron, growing since last time I posted, have been knocked out. So if a lot of kids get Covid that’s too much for a school health center to deal with. Even if we assume no one needs hospitalization.
Have your schools decided to cancel any sporting events this weekend or next week?
Groton has cancelled games for a week (or two?) and no more spectators at all. 
Half the kids we know got Covid over break so return should be madness.
That is not correct. “Mild” COVID includes flu-like symptoms (low-grade fever, muscle aches, fatigue, upper respiratory symptoms; lower respiratory symptoms are much less common). Symptoms of “mild” COVID are NOT serious, and are far less severe than even routine flu symptoms. Those who’ve had the flu and “mild” COVID will attest to that.
Not to mention all of the asymptomatic. And mild is beyond mild for most of those that I know, including my family. (even two 80 year olds)
That’s great that Covid has been so mild for people you know. Please keep in mind that doesn’t mean it is like that for everyone. As I said I know people, fully vaccinated, for whom Covid was super rough and lasted for days and days. You really cannot generalize from your experience to everyone. That’s one of the issues with Covid - it is super variable in how it hits people. The people I know who have had Covid (including severa bs teenagers) would absolutely have taken beds in a school health center - they were that sick.