Thread by @meganranney, My kids went back to school this week. Half in-person, half distance [...]

My kids went back to school this week. Half in-person, half distance learning.

There's lots of consternation on all sides about this decision in the midst of #COVID19.

A thread.

Half the parents are horrified that we aren't fully in person. Distance learning is tough, and feels pointless to them: "no one here has #COVID19" and "my family is healthy" and "I need my kid to be in school for [my work/my sanity/my kid's mental health/my kid's safety]"

The other half are horrified that ANYONE is back.

I have, for example, been told that: "the school will have blood on its hands."

I have been told "19 people tested + already" ignoring that those tests cannot physically be due to school reopening (they opened on Monday!)

My plea on this issue - as for all #publichealth - is to do our best to follow the science..... while recognizing that science is evolving.

Yes, this is scary.
Yes, this is unprecedented.
Yes, there are NO universal right answers.

BUT -

1. For the love of all that is good, let's be nice to each other.

Let's recognize that there are reasons that some kids NEED to be in school, and there are some reasons that teachers or parents NEED their kids to stay home.

Both are okay.

2. At the same time, let's be honest: If there's any community #COVID19, there WILL be cases among ppl affiliated with schools. The test is not: do infections happen? Instead, the test is: does it spread?

(article by @AJNierenberg w/me & @DrLeanaWen) https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/16/us/for-school-outbreaks-its-when-not-if.html

For School Outbreaks, It’s When, Not If

That’s frightening. But a case at your child’s school does not mean you should panic.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/16/us/for-school-outbreaks-its-when-not-if.html

3. We have growing evidence from schools, daycares, healthcare facilities & hair salons across the US & the globe: it is POSSIBLE to stop spread, if a few conditions are met -

universal masking

stable pods

adequate ventilation

testing availability https://twitter.com/meganranney/status/1289192833790877698?s=20

https://twitter.com/meganranney/status/1289192833790877698?s=20

4. We also have growing evidence that it comes down to one thing: do we prioritize our schools?

(Why re-opening, say, offices is... a bad idea. The more people that are mixing, the higher the community rates. The higher the community rates, the higher the rates at school.)

5. Finally, to state the obvious. Yes kids can get sick - really sick - from COVID. There's some risk in letting your kid (or yourself) ever leave the house. But that's true in non-COVID times too. The Q is: how big is the risk? How big is the benefit? https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3259

Use of “normal” risk to improve understanding of dangers of covid-19

Accumulating data on deaths from covid-19 show an association with age that closely matches the “normal” risk we all face. Explaining risk in this way could help people understand and manage their...

https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3259

5b. (Also obvious: in states or cities with high infection rates and inability to follow public health guidelines, the risk is too big.)

5c. (Also obvious: we have to talk about disparities in education & housing & food & structural racism too. It's all related.)

5d. (Also obvious: sports, chorus, and band are higher risk activities than sitting in a classroom.) https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/08/how-to-measure-risk-airborne-coronavirus-your-office-classroom-bus-ride-cvd/

Measure the risk of airborne COVID-19 in your office, classroom, or bus ride

Can kids go back to crowded schools? Is it safe to eat dinner with friends? Use this mathematical model to help provide some clues.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/08/how-to-measure-risk-airborne-coronavirus-your-office-classroom-bus-ride-cvd/

6. Finally, to those who are adamantly against ANY schools reopening, I hope you are aligning your actions and words, & not going out with friends, not sending your kids to the playground, etc. I hope to not see pictures of you on Facebook, maskless, at a party or restaurant.

7. My personal litmus test for school reopening remains the same as it was in August. Evidence has accumulated to back me up.
-> low community spread
-> universal masking
-> testing availability

==> highly likely to be safe, for most of us (recognizing that some will opt out)

==> and the all-important caveat: most schools in the US still do not meet these very basic criteria.

You can follow @meganranney.

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