Thread by @OhioAtty14, So let's go through every relevant metric -- deaths, hospitalizations, transmissibility, side [...]

So let's go through every relevant metric -- deaths, hospitalizations, transmissibility, side effects -- to see why schools should re-open. https://twitter.com/elikasadeghi/status/1283133178429837313?s=20

https://twitter.com/elikasadeghi/status/1283133178429837313?s=20

First, the most recent US Census chart is below. To summarize:

82M Americans are 0-24 (25.3% of total population).

Just 24M Americans are 75 are older (6.57% of total population.

https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2019/demo/age-and-sex/2019-age-sex-composition.html

So the first metric is deaths. Obviously not the only statistic to observe (I never said it was) -- but it is self-evidently the most important thing we are trying to avoid.

179 C19 deaths in age 0-24.

68,417 C19 deaths age 75+.

Deaths directly correlate w/ age.

Standing alone, this is an absolutely remarkable statistic.

People age 0-24 are 25.3% of the population yet account for .15% of recorded deaths at CDC.

People age 75+ are just 6.57% of the population yet account for 60.1% of deaths.

That's...at least something to consider?

Next data point is hospitalizations. The argument against opening would be, "Well, maybe they get sick, take up beds, etc."

But that's not true either.

Per CDC's weekly summary ending July 4, hospitalization rates also directly correlate with age.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/pdf/covidview-07-10-2020.pdf

Note that you can barely see hospitalization rates for 0-4 and 5-17.

And if that visual representation was not enough, look at this table.

People aged 65 and older are 72 times more likely to be hospitalized than people aged 5-17.

So what about parents/teachers? We do not want to open if schools could become a COVID breeding ground to spread elsewhere.

Yet, unfortunately, our essential workers were forced into a live experiment by putting their kids in daycares. https://www.npr.org/2020/06/24/882316641/what-parents-can-learn-from-child-care-centers-that-stayed-open-during-lockdowns

What Parents Can Learn From Child Care Centers That Stayed Open During Lockdowns

The Y, and New York City's Department of Education, have been caring for tens of thousands of children during the pandemic. Neither has had reports of coronavirus clusters or outbreaks.

https://www.npr.org/2020/06/24/882316641/what-parents-can-learn-from-child-care-centers-that-stayed-open-during-lockdowns

The results? YMCA and NYC's BOE collectively cared for 50,000 kids at 1,270 sites.

"The Y says a few staff members and parents at sites...did test positive, but there are no records of having more than one case at a site. This, among a population of essential workers."

"In a separate, unscientific survey...Brown University economist Emily Oster found that...among 916 centers serving more than 20,000 children, just over 1% of staff and 0.16% of children were confirmed infected with the coronavirus."

This is consistent w/ findings in Europe.

This live experiment was partially conducted in NYC -- the pandemic's epicenter -- and among essential workers, no less.

It should resolve public health official's general* fears that kids will get sick and transmit the virus to parents or teachers.

So what about long term effects?

I'm a dad of a 16-month old. The multi-immune system stories scared the fuck out of me.

Fortunately, these terrible side effects are extremely rare and are mostly treatable. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/infographic-mis-c.html

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a virus (more specifically, a coronavirus) identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/infographic-mis-c.html

CDC observed 186 cases in 26 states from March 15 to May 20. Four kids tragically died.

Again, I'm a parent. I'd probably move to Mongolia and kill myself if my son died.

But 186 cases in 26 states means that these side-effects are ***extremely*** rare.

There's also long-term lung issues to consider.

Per University of Maryland: long-term lung risk is "unknown," but, "Often coronavirus symptoms are the same as the common cold, which usually does not leave lasting damage to the lungs."

https://www.umms.org/childrens/coronavirus/protecting-our-kids/kids-covid

Unknown is admittedly scary, but we have to balance that w/ *known* consequences of school closures --

-Stress on families
-Kids falling behind
-Increased suicides/overdoses
-Extremely negative consequences for socioeconomically disadvantaged https://www.vox.com/2020/4/21/21223585/school-closure-impact-students-children

Prolonged school closures could be very costly for America’s students

Experts are especially worried about younger and lower-income kids.

https://www.vox.com/2020/4/21/21223585/school-closure-impact-students-children

So, in summary, kids age 0-17 are extremely unlikely to:

1) Die from COVID;
2) Be hospitalized w/ COVID;
3) Transmit COVID; and
4) Have side effects from COVID.

This is perhaps the only silver lining of this horrible fucking virus.

So, perhaps I'm just a prissy, innumerate dumbass.

But to me, the only silver lining of this disease -- kids are generally spared -- means our highest national priority should be reopening schools this fall.

/END

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