Mega-Thread: Coronavirus Pandemic

[Edge-]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/01/u...ronavirus.html

One of the first school districts in the country to reopen its doors during the coronavirus pandemic did not even make it a day before being forced to grapple with the issue facing every system actively trying to get students into classrooms: What happens when someone comes to school infected?

Just hours into the first day of classes on Thursday, a call from the county health department notified Greenfield Central Junior High School in Indiana that a student who had walked the halls and sat in various classrooms had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Administrators began an emergency protocol, isolating the student and ordering everyone who had come into close contact with the person, including other students, to quarantine for 14 days. It is unclear whether the student infected anyone else.

“We knew it was a when, not if,” said Harold E. Olin, superintendent of the Greenfield-Central Community School Corporation, but were “very shocked it was on Day 1.”

Indiana school opens. Student tests positive on the first day, requiring the school to try to track down everyone that came in close contact with the student so that they can all quarantine for 14 days.

This. Is. Why. Opening. Schools. Is. A. Bad. Idea.

[Logwyn]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/01/u...ronavirus.html



Indiana school opens. Student tests positive on the first day, requiring the school to try to track down everyone that came in close contact with the student so that they can all quarantine for 14 days.

This. Is. Why. Opening. Schools. Is. A. Bad. Idea.

What's the solution? What does a family with both parents working do with their 3 kids when they have to stay home but they can't because they both have to work in order to have the roof over their head? How do you make sure the entire school district has access to the internet and a device to do distance learning?

[Gorsameth]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/01/u...ronavirus.html



Indiana school opens. Student tests positive on the first day, requiring the school to try to track down everyone that came in close contact with the student so that they can all quarantine for 14 days.

This. Is. Why. Opening. Schools. Is. A. Bad. Idea.

You can do this when a tiny tiny portion of the population is infected (see europe).
You can't do this when many many people are infected, because your going to find people in your school who are infected pretty much every single day.

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What's the solution? What does a family with both parents working do with their 3 kids when they have to stay home but they can't because they both have to work in order to have the roof over their head? How do you make sure the entire school district has access to the internet and a device to do distance learning?

1) have a working social security net. The rest of the world managed to have people home taking care of their children when schools were closed (you can have daycares open for critical jobs like healthcare).
2) By buying it for them if needed? Someone mentioned it in this thread some time back, its cheaper to simply buy every child a laptop then to keep the school open during a pandemic.

[Forogil]

Its likely cheaper to buy a laptop for all the kids then to corona-proof the school.

Possibly, but getting them internet may not be as cheap and simple.

Oh, and found this: https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-n...5aacd521865db8

“Closing some of the other networks, some of the other activities may well be required to enable us to open schools. It might come down to a question of which do you trade off against each other and then that’s a matter of prioritizing. Do we think pubs are more important than schools?” Professor Graham Medley, who chairs the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) sub-group on pandemic modeling, told BBC radio Saturday.

Ah, yes, the difficult choices in the modern day, schools or pubs - closing either might stop the virus, but which ones are most important for society?

[beanman12345]

20,000 anti maskers protest in Berlin. US isn't the only one with anti mask idiots.

[Omega10]

Possibly, but getting them internet may not be as cheap and simple.

Oh, and found this: https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-n...5aacd521865db8

Ah, yes, the difficult choices in the modern day, schools or pubs - closing either might stop the virus, but which ones are most important for society?

The idea that the US is so incompetent that we can't find a way to make stay at home schooling a possibility is quite depressing. What go-to-school proponents are basically suggesting, and almost stating, is that the best we can do for our children in September and early August is to send them to school where they will spread the virus and then infect their families.

[Yunru]

20,000 anti maskers protest in Berlin. US isn't the only one with anti mask idiots.

Well you cant cure stupid sadly. However germany should provide free masks to civilian population and not force them to pay €150 - €300 fines (store have it worse with
€5,000 fine). Berlin however has some special rules and even kids under age of 6 need to wear it.
https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-ge...ned/a-53260732

Also in recent days it was extremly hot outside in europe, so it was bound to happen.

This is how you protest:

[Einsz]

20,000 anti maskers protest in Berlin. US isn't the only one with anti mask idiots.

There are anti maskers in every country, what makes the differances is actually having police enforcing wearing one (sad truth is in my country if you get fine for not wearing mask you will win in court 100% but anti-maskers are too stupid to know that anyway)

[PACOX]

What's the solution? What does a family with both parents working do with their 3 kids when they have to stay home but they can't because they both have to work in order to have the roof over their head? How do you make sure the entire school district has access to the internet and a device to do distance learning?

You listed valid concerns but the solution still isn't reopen. Everything you listed are things officials have 6 months to work on but did nothing about.

All of due holding money > lives.

[Elegiac]

What's the solution? What does a family with both parents working do with their 3 kids when they have to stay home but they can't because they both have to work in order to have the roof over their head? How do you make sure the entire school district has access to the internet and a device to do distance learning?

And thus, the grift is revealed.

It’s not actually concern about whether or not children “need” to be back in school for their own interests.

The entire push to reopen schools is motivated by the desire to get their parents back to work in a desperate, despicable desire to reopen the economy at any cost.

I mean shit, @Dacien if y’all are willing to just outright sacrifice people to make the capitalist machine keep turning why not just do the same with every billionaire and poof all our problems solved?

There’s certainly been a great awakening, but it seems to have been in the direction of prosperity gospel. Which for all intents and purposes is really just a cargo cult worshipping the idea of capitalism.

Or, as Max Weber put it so eloquently: “Protestants be shoppin’...”

[Felya]

What's the solution? What does a family with both parents working do with their 3 kids when they have to stay home but they can't because they both have to work in order to have the roof over their head? How do you make sure the entire school district has access to the internet and a device to do distance learning?

You fully lock down for 6 month, with federal government reimbursing business for salaries and individuals for housing, if their business and work is disrupted.

How much could be covered, for the cost of renovating FBI building, that White House included in relief bill?

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It’s not actually concern about whether or not children “need” to be back in school for their own interests.

Schools wouldn’t be an issue, if their parents didn’t have to risk catching a virus by going to work. If work is not liable for their employees getting sick, the employee should have no liability in staying home.

[PACOX]

Its likely cheaper to buy a laptop for all the kids then to corona-proof the school.

Buying every kid a brand new $300 laptop and subsiding internet for those who need it is a whole lot cheaper than the amount of test, contact tracing, medical costs, and shuffling in staff that will happen if the 'return to normal' happens.

[Felya]

Buying every kid a brand new $300 laptop and subsiding internet for those who need it is a whole lot cheaper than the amount of test, contact tracing, medical costs, and shuffling in staff that will happen if the 'return to normal' happens.

I think the problem we may be ignoring, is that a lot of people want to be around their kids, as much as we do. With so many unemployed and working from home... we can’t ignore the length parents will go, to get rid of their kids for 8 hours...

[Egomaniac]

What's the solution? What does a family with both parents working do with their 3 kids when they have to stay home but they can't because they both have to work in order to have the roof over their head? How do you make sure the entire school district has access to the internet and a device to do distance learning?

Well, ideally your country would have made smarter decisions starting about 6 months ago and then maybe you'd be in a better place to send the kids back to school. But since that didn't happen...

But this is what will happen if you reopen the schools too early. Covid will run rampant through those schools and the schools will have to be shut down again anyway. Those parents that both need to work to keep the roof over their heads will have to self-quarantine even if they aren't sick. But, on the bright side, at least that solves the problem of who is watching the kids.

[Breccia]

McDonalds and Target now require masks.

[Zantos]

The masks he was using are sold in literally every store in my town.

They aren't sold in any store in my town and the CDC is saying they should be reserved for medical personnel. I would be surprised if anywhere in the US can buy legitimate medical grade masks right now. My point still stands. Should have tested other types of masks.

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What's the solution? What does a family with both parents working do with their 3 kids when they have to stay home but they can't because they both have to work in order to have the roof over their head? How do you make sure the entire school district has access to the internet and a device to do distance learning?

Well, we are at the point where we have no option but to figure this out. It blows my mind that this nation is so completely and utterly stupid on every level possible. We had literal months to try to figure these exact things out, yet no one bothered to do so. Now we have a school on day friggin 1 having someone infected there.

Not only that, but they continue to be dumb. Checking everyone that student was in close contact with. Well, what about the people Those students were in close contact with? They were carriers too for awhile. The entire school should shut down. Not to mention that this is going to keep repeatedly happening as long as this virus remains.

[PACOX]

They aren't sold in any store in my town and the CDC is saying they should be reserved for medical personnel. I would be surprised if anywhere in the US can buy legitimate medical grade masks right now. My point still stands. Should have tested other types of masks.

.

Looked like a disposable mask to me. A disposable surgical mask at best,. A lot cloth mask can block the same amount of outgoing particles as a surgical mask, assuming it's a 3 ply surgical mask. You can buy those masks almost anywhere.

The mask shortage is not as bad as it was. People have learned to make protective cloth masks or provide filter pockets. K95 masks are pretty available.

[Forogil]

And thus, the grift is revealed.

It’s not actually concern about whether or not children “need” to be back in school for their own interests.

The entire push to reopen schools is motivated by the desire to get their parents back to work in a desperate, despicable desire to reopen the economy at any cost.

That is not the entire push, as there are a number of medical experts and physicians who think that schools are important for the children (learning and socializing).

As an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0j1ZXEeQAI 8-11 minutes in.

Obviously some measures to reduce the spread of the virus are necessary, and there have been a lack of them the last month(s) in the US (and in other places) when the number of cases have increased a lot, even though schools have been closed for summer.

[Zantos]

That is not the entire push, as there are a number of medical experts and physicians who think that schools are important for the children (learning and socializing).

As an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0j1ZXEeQAI 8-11 minutes in.

Obviously some measures to reduce the spread of the virus are necessary, and there have been a lack of them the last month(s) in the US (and in other places) when the number of cases have increased a lot, even though schools have been closed for summer.

Anyone who argues that socialization of children is a good excuse to send them back to school in the middle of a pandemic is a moron. Its as simple as that. During a pandemic, we need to avoid All forms of gatherings in enclosed spaces. You see it from workplaces to entertainment venues. Everyone is doing everything they can to social distance and practice safety measures. A classroom is a nightmare for anything to be done in for safety in a pandemic. You're talking about 1 adult trying to watch and monitor 15+ kids, all at the same time, to ensure they keep masks on, and that they are properly wearing them, all while doing their job of teaching. Its not happening. Its as simple as that. If they have recess, just good friggin luck.

Skipping half a year, or even 1 full year, of being in class in person is not going to ruin their socialization. Sure, they may be isolated for a short time, but they will socialize with their friends, their family and their classmates when they go back.

The expert in that video is an idiot. Putting the life's of the kids, the staff and the parents at risk is not worth it.

[Forogil]

Anyone who argues that socialization of children is a good excuse to send them back to school in the middle of a pandemic is a moron. Its as simple as that. During a pandemic, we need to avoid All forms of gatherings in enclosed spaces.

Hmm...
Who to believe, real medical experts or internet "tough guy"?

What about focusing on actually combating the disease instead of focusing on closing school, seeing as keeping schools closed during summer clearly didn't stop the spread in the US (or in other countries for that matter)?