As school approaches with insufficient guidance from the Trump Admin, parents and teachers deserve a clear assessment of the #covid risks. So @SaskiaPopescu, @DrPhillipsMD and I made a risk index for schools. Below and in @nytopinion. Please share widely 1/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/29/opinion/coronavirus-schools-reopen.html

First things first: schools should only open in places where there is low community spread. That is fewer than 75 cases per 100,000 people over previous 7 days with a test positivity rate below 5%. By our count, 12 states and DC meet both metrics. 2/

At this level, there is still a chance that someone will be infected. We believe, as does @AmerAcadPeds, that the psycho-social, education, societal, and health benefits of in-person school are worth this level of risk. 3/ https://www.ajc.com/opinion/opinion-why-supporting-school-reopenings-is-so-important-this-fall/7ZPOL3ZNZFA5TJGI4AXEL5VDJA/

But to open at all, these schools need to take precautions: physical distancing, mask wearing, hand washing. And as #Covid19 is airborne, they need HEPA air filtration indoors or move activities outdoors. 4/

It's safest to walk or ride a bike to school, or travel in your own car. Transportation will be more difficult for those without cars who don’t live near school: school bus and public transportation are much higher risk. 5/

While generally staying in a classroom is low-to-medium risk, periods between classes are high-risk as students pack hallways and social distancing becomes nearly impossible. 6/

Lunchtime is another potentially risky time of day at schools. It’s safer to pick up a pre-packaged meal than wait in a cafeteria line, and it’s safer to eat outdoors or in a classroom than in the cafeteria. 7/

The arts are an important part of any education, but some of these activities are high-risk. For example, choir practice, with many people together forcefully exhaling for a long time, is especially dangerous. This school year, it's safer to stick to visual arts. 8/

Recess & athletics, while also important, have their own challenges. Contact sports pose a high-risk, as do the cramped confines of locker rooms. Outdoor playgrounds are much lower risk as is outdoor track and tennis. 9/

Finally, this risk index is for students and teachers w/o any underlying conditions that make them especially at risk for #covid. All schools will need virtual options for safe learning -- and working. Teachers should not be penalized if they can't work on campus. /10

In sum, it's critical for children’s development and for restarting the economy to reopen schools. There are risks, but they can be mitigated with careful planning, support from the govt, and if we all wear masks now to get the spread down. https://www.covid19reopen.com/k-12-school-risk-index
/END