COVID-19 Update: Monday, July 13th

K-12 schools - reopening, what you need to know and what you need to ask.

Globally we hit 13 million cases over the weekend which means globally we added 1 million cases in 4 days. That is 1 day faster than the last million. The US also set a new record on Friday with 71k new cases in a single day.

Let's talk about K-12 schools reopening. (we will do colleges another day this week). There is a lot we could discuss but who wants to read a novel? Instead, I am going to focus on just a few key points, but I am happy to answer any questions you may have or provide resources as needed. I too have children so I understand the angst this situation can cause.

Remember, this is all about recognizing risk and how to mitigate it. So I want to focus on practical things you can do to get the information you need and feel informed to make a decision for your family. I also want to say that there are a lot of unknowns here and this is not going to be a one size fits all situation. Prevention plans must be specific to the school system and even to the individual school. The CDC published a guide for schools to know if it was safe to reopen and then guidance for how to do that. However, it is just guidance, to guide each school through what to consider and ways to address risks. It has to be tailored to each situation and it is not regulation. That is how these things work.

While there is much that is unknown, we do know that children (under 16) seem to be less likely to develop severe COVID-19 than adults. They also seem to be less likely to spread it. How many children exactly have gotten it we can't know because right now many children are considerably less social than they were before the outbreak (i.e. they are staying home) and many states aren't testing children at all unless they end up hospitalized. So we don't have any idea how many children have gotten it. This means current infection rate numbers for children tell us very little. We also don't know the extent of the long-term impact of having COVID. We do know there are lingering health effects even for those with mild cases and even in asymptomatic individuals we have seen lung damage.

We know that less children end up hospitalized which means children tend to have less severe cases. We also know that school is an essential service and not attending school has significant negative outcomes for many children. Some things we have seen include: increased mental health issues, increased child abuse, increased molestation, increased hunger, increased achievement gap, loss of learning, decreased access to counseling, decreased access to social programs, healthy meals etc. The reality of this situation is there are negative consequences either way. We are choosing between two bad options. More than likely, schools will open so what can we do to make sure that is done safely?

Information is vital. I have seen reports from other countries that they reopened without issues. This is true. But there have also been countries that have not - Israel and Australia for example. How well this goes depends on how well each school does it. We also need to remember that teachers and staff are a very big part of this equation and their risk is higher than our students. Three teachers in Arizona just got COVID while meeting at the school to teach online summer classes. One of them died. The other two are still ill, weeks later. So prevention and protection measures need to include protecting teachers and staff.

Identifying the risks is key. Arrival and departures are high-risk times (including riding the bus to and from), recess, lunch, library time, changing classes, bathroom breaks, gym, choir, music, and athletics are also all high-risk activities. Extracurricular activities could be as well depending on the activity. Large, crowded classrooms are a risk. Any prevention plan should include plans for reducing the risk associated with these activities.

We also need to remember that MIS-C is a life-threatening disease that is a "side effect" of children being exposed to COVID-19.

Most likely your school is going to open. As a parent, teacher, or staff member you need to know the prevention plan at your school. You want to ask questions to assure they have a quality, well-developed plan. Some things to ask/know - 1) did they include a public health professional, epidemiologist, or infection prevention specialist in the plan development? 2) Do they have a plan for high-risk students, teachers, and staff? i.e. what about people who can't be there or don't feel safe doing so? Is there an option for them? 3) Do they have a plan for when someone tests positive? Because most likely someone will. 4) what is the plan to reduce each of the risk areas listed above? 5) does their plan involve more than screening and cleaning? Because that is not enough.

Cont....6) Do they have a plan for what to do if teachers become ill in large numbers? 7) Do they have a testing plan they have coordinated with public health officials and testing centers to get real-time information? 8) what is their communication plan with parents? 9) Did they purchase air filters specifically designed to reduce viral spread? 10) what is their plan B should it not be safe to open or stay open? 11) What PPE will they be providing teachers and staff? Will they be providing any PPE to students? Are they requiring its use? 12) what is the plan for those who do get it - because we can expect people to be out for weeks or months if they become ill. and finally, 13) What are they doing about non-compliance? Because the best plan in the world is worthless if people don't follow it.

Ask questions. Lots of questions. Then make the decision that is best for you and your family.

FINAL THOUGHTS: You have to make the decisions that are right for you and your family. Be informed and then make those decisions. Do not feel bad for that. Let others make the decisions that are right for them. Right now we need each other. We need to support and uphold each other. We need to ask questions and seek truth, do not feel bad about that. We are starting another week - if models are correct it is going to be a rough one. Support each other, be kind, reach out and offer each other encouragement. Together we can do this.