Kentucky is closing in-person instruction at all schools and universities, starting Monday, Nov 23. College sports can continue, however–priorities!
In Colorado the school districts weren’t having an issue with the students but with the teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, etc. My sister went back for a few days and loved teaching in the classroom again, but they said the numbers were just too high in the communities. Most counties are heading into the Red Level and restricting more and more activities.
Memorial hospital in South Bend, Indiana is running dangerously low of ICU beds.
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/wsbt.com/amp/news/local/local-hospitals-nearly-out-of-room
That is what Notre Dame students should be valuing because as members of that community they are contributing to the Covid figures. Unless a person has had a high sensitive test regularly on at least a weekly basis they can’t be certain that they haven’t had it and spread it to a high risk person on the bus or grocery shop.
And unlike everyone else shutting down, our K-12 schools opened F2F Nov. 9th with no signs of shutting down. Although I admit, we aren’t spiking as bad as other areas. We had few cases until summer when they spiked. Since they, they haven’t really done down or up significantly. We average 25-30 cases/day per 100K population. And our total (known) infected percentage is 3.6%. But I have to laugh at NYC closing down at 3% positivity. We think our 7-8% is great. Most of the summer/fall we have been at 10-15%.
H just called with his crazy morning. He and another teacher are in charge of taking temps of kids out of cars. 2 others do the buses. All of their thermometers stopped working. Reading the manual says they don’t work < 50. Umm… that’s not going to work. It was 27 this morning. More thermometers were supposed to be coming, but they haven’t seen them yet. So kids just didn’t get checked today. Lovely. They are also having problems with the kids in cars with the heaters blasting. Everyone reads high. Get them out of the car and it’s fine. But parents can’t leave until the kid gets the OK - and you can’t trust all the parents to comply once they are out of the vehicle. It’s a mess.
And yes, I already know of several cases in various schools already.
Well, it’s pretty densely populated here and we’ve been through some stuff that we’d rather not see again.
That said, I wish they would have based closing schools on positivity rates in the schools not in the city overall.
On the upside, I read that NYC will provide hotel room for covid-positive people who don’t want to isolate at home, exposing their families. I’m not sure what’s needed to qualify, but I think that’s a good thing.
Taking temp is just theater. It’s the least effective measure for containing the virus, if effective at all.
Just overheard one of the talking heads say that the positivity rate for New York City’s public schools is 0.17%. This could be another case where the in-school precautions were so much better enforced than in the surrounding community that it made a difference in the statistics.
Perhaps students should get the vaccine first…
https://www.wired.com/story/covid-19-vaccine-super-spreaders/
With less than a week to go before the campus is vacated for a week of remote learning and final exams, Wesleyan is urging students to get tested within 72 hours of arriving home and self-quarantining for 14 days (basically, not venturing out and avoiding contact with at-risk friends and relatives in particular.)
The NY school metrics were set with the teachers union, who didn’t want to return to in-person instruction at all for the fall.
Princeton has opened an in-house COVID testing lab:
That suggests that the university is preparing to have students back on campus for the spring semester.
Oh, I agree. But at least it will keep sick kids - for whatever reason - home. And hopefully, it could help stop of the spread of other germs.
@circuitrider Is that 72 hours after arriving home or 72 hours before leaving campus? It’s getting very difficult to get tested outside of schools in many places, unfortunately.
Ah, good question. Upon closer examination, the salient phrase appears to be “Prior to their departure”. Wesleyan routinely administers a RT-PCR test to everyone twice a week.
At least it discourages people (college students included) without access to Advil from doing that
Well, last night we received an email that our school district will switched to fully remote until Dec 4 after another 4 positive cases were confirmed giving the district a total of 16 cases (students and staff combined). Initially it was only the high school. Now its the entire district. It’s interesting to note through the NY state Covid 19 Report card how 2 of the 3 elementary schools has 0 case. The other elementary school has had 2 at the middle of Oct. Most of the cases were at the high school and just less than a handful from middle school. So is it safe to say that it is with the older kids, high school and college students, that the spread of the virus happens? Looks to me that is the case with so much widespread positive cases from campuses nationwide.
My heart goes out to parents with younger children and the children themselves. This remote learning is a difficult concept not only for kids who are still developing and losing a lot from gaining their overall development through in person classes but also parents who has to balance work and supporting their kids through this form of learning. I can’t imagine the stress it brings to everyone especially those who are single parents. And there are our dedicated teachers and school administrators. They are carrying a tremendous task of not only trying to find ways to continue to provide for the students may it be in person, hybrid or remote but also they have to stay on top of things when dealing with this virus.
At the hospital where I work, our covid19 in-patient census is higher than in spring time. Between two campuses, we have around 40 or so cases. Our area hospitals are within a 40 mile radius of Hamilton College, Colgate University, MPWI, Utica College and SUNY Poly and SUNY-affiliated community colleges. Cases are continuously going up. We are bracing for the post Thanksgiving holiday outcome. Are people going to heed the suggestion not to host any gathering? Are college kids coming home pre-tested or are going to be tested locally? I’m sure every community all over the US is facing the same challenging issues. I just hope for some people they will take this pandemic seriously. We still have a long road to travel when it comes to this pandemic. Stay safe everyone and do what you can to stop this virus from spreading.
The student paper at Wesleyan has actually picked up where the town paper left off only a few days ago. Apparently, the number of active cases (both students and employees) has expanded from 10 students to 13 and from 9 employees to 12. As a result, the college is reverting to remote learning for the remaining few days until Thanksgiving break. They are also going back to the previous policy of no visitation between dorms. And, then there is this:
The Vassar College plan seemed to work well this semester. All students were invited back to campus and they have had to remain in the bubble since mid August. They have not even been able to go into town although they were able to safely bring in some vendors and have food deliveries. Vassar had a low number of Covid cases and currently have 1 active case on campus. D17 was able to have all in person classes except one (which was half in person and half zoom). She enjoyed many things about the semester and being with her suitemates and heads out of the bubble tomorrow.
[quote=“kpopmomrunner, post:17897, topic:2088334”]
. It’s interesting to note through the NY state Covid 19 Report card how 2 of the 3 elementary schools has 0 case. The other elementary school has had 2 at the middle of Oct. Most of the cases were at the high school and just less than a handful from middle school. So is it safe to say that it is with the older kids, high school and college students, that the spread of the virus happens? Looks to me that is the case with so much widespread positive cases from campuses nationwide.
Testing availability for children, especially, elementary age children is limited.
It’s not that 2 of the 3 elementary schools has 0 cases it’s that they REPORTED 0 cases, not the same thing. What if the nearest available test centre for those parents do not accept under 6s? That alone scrubs the kindergarten class.
Apparently the Broad Institute experienced a significant delay affecting all contracted colleges of tests taken over last two days. Not good as I am transporting two back home sans results from Thursday’s tests. The school sent out a notification to students to quarantine away from family until results come in, but how is that possible when transportation plans involve parents? Apparently the glitch has been addressed and remediated by Broad. Good luck to everyone in the days ahead welcoming college kids back to home.