BPS students plan a walkout today at 10:30 am to demand a choice of remote learning.
Good for them. We have horrifically failed our children, teachers and staff. They asked for remote after the Christmas break while some best practices were put in place. Instead, we put them in a position where there were 99,514 total positives in that period of time
School positive Numbers are in for this week….most schools had four in-person days due to snow
41,963 students. 7,351 staff
Two weeks ending 1/6 and 1/12 (8 schools days)
99,514 total positives, 79,950 students …REPEATING, IN 8 schools day
The table is below. In 77 school days (give or take a day or two depending on different school calendars) there has been 159,807 covid positives in Massachusetts schools. Many were preventable has we taken known precautions. In school year 2020-2021 there were 20,321 total cases.
For those who do not use Twitter, the tweet is belie.
“ When we reach the point that we are sending the National Guard into schools to cover for massive #’s of sick staff w/ Covid, two things are true:
1) This isn’t really about education or kids’ mental health
2) Something is seriously broken in our society.”
It’s going to take a lot more student walkouts from other communities as well to convince Baker and DESE. I would like to see an organized “statewide” walkout which imo would send a big message to our elected leaders and school officials. Very sad it might have to come to this.
I absolutely agree. I was thinking this morning that we aeem incapable of working together for the greater good. I have never believed that schools should be full remote this year…..until now. And even then only temporary. No matter how passionate a person is re in person, in my heart I cannot believe that close to 100,000 positives in eight in-person days does not scream the need to step back and rethink our approach
I’m actually somewhat surprised that students are actually in favor of remote learning, albeit on a temporary basis. To hear the adults tell it, remote learning is the absolute worst that can happen for a student to go through. I certainly fell for it.
I agree with you. I am also surprised.
Not to be too crass or cynical but let’s not forget that parents themselves have “skin in the game” too and for many parents kids in school is preferable – i.e. not always easy to have kids at home vs school.
For me it feels like right now we seem to be in a surreal time where you can basically justify whatever you prefer/desire to believe with various sets of “facts”. There are articles & experts recommending pretty much whatever you want to believe right now – from all remote is only safe way to all in person lest we destroy our children’s mental health, and everything in between. I think we are all completely bewildered as to what is accurate now – ahhh life in the days of covid!
Ok I’m laughing out loud. I was reading down and hadn’t seen your comment. You are not being crass. You are being absolutely honest. I’ve been waiting for someone to say this. I already feel too vocal about school so though it might be heard better from someone other than me. Thank you, as always, for your well reasoned comments
I am not surprised at all. I listen to the kids who are chosen to represent their student bodies at school committee meetings I listen to friends of my grandkids. Some prefer in school , but some also prefer remote. Parents let other factors enter in and it is their voices we are hearing. I’m not saying the view of parents is less important. I just know it doesn’t always gel with that of students.
Re the discussion above. The saddest part of this is the majority of parents who make their voices heard …..and folks who simply have no clue…..are making comments very similar to what adults always say when kids speak up. Such as….kids just want an excuse to get out of school. They are too young to know what is right. And so on.
As we descend from the peak in the Northeast, Florida, and several other states, we will see improvement in our hospitals soon. My guess is within 10-14 days or so.
However, the decrease in cases will not necessarily translate nationwide to a decline in hospitalizations and ICU usage. We already see some evidence of that as cases nationwide have crested, BUT hospitalizations are increasing along with ICU usage. Two things to note: 1. Hospitalizations are a lagging indicator; 2. The wave is now hitting states with lower vaccination rates. So, it is more likely that cases in those states will translate into hospitalizations than, say, in the Northeast.
The coming weeks will still be very difficult nationwide.
The next question is whether Omicron (together with vaccinations, previously acquired immunity) will provide sufficient immunity to serve as protector against future Covid-19 incursions. This remains to be seen. Let’s hope this is true, for that would effectively end the pandemic phase.
I certainly hope that happens as well so we can stop wearing masks and vaccine passports, especially the “former.”
Here is the Covid Dashboard for yesterday, along with my updated graph and the latest from the MWRA
Thanks Vicki. Another good reason not to catch Omicron in the first place. Unfortunately even the fully vaccinated are not immune through no fault of their own.
Joshua, why do healthcare facilities insist on those who arrive for appointments, visits etc. to put on a “fresh” mask even if the person is already wearing a surgical mask just like the ones offered?
I don’t know. Good question. I recall this happening when I went for my vaccinations at the Reggie Lewis Center in April and May.
I asked a while ago….which should not be a surprise. For someone who was shy enough to rarely utter two words with a stranger, I’m now on a first name, nearly good friend, with folks who I interact with at facilities.
It just ensures that everyone has a clean and adequate mask. It is an extra step to protect us, them and everyone there
The tweet below refers to a woman who’s very sick with Covid. It references a tweet from the person who’s sick and asking people to pray for her. She’s anti-vax, anti-mask, etc … She was very vocal in her opposition to these measures.
The person tweeting about the Covid patient doesn’t berate her, but does challenge her to reflect on what she’s said once modern medicine has hopefully made her recover. I like this approach. I do not like the tweets of those who basically say they hope she dies or she’s getting what she deserves. https://twitter.com/Dallas_Holladay/status/1481891691019735040
Thanks TK.
BPS students plan a walkout today at 10:30 am to demand a choice of remote learning.
Good for them. We have horrifically failed our children, teachers and staff. They asked for remote after the Christmas break while some best practices were put in place. Instead, we put them in a position where there were 99,514 total positives in that period of time
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/student-walkout-nyc-bos-oak
64,000,000 Covid-19 cases in the U.S. to date.
Joshua, is this the most in the world?
Repeat of my post from last night
School positive Numbers are in for this week….most schools had four in-person days due to snow
41,963 students. 7,351 staff
Two weeks ending 1/6 and 1/12 (8 schools days)
99,514 total positives, 79,950 students …REPEATING, IN 8 schools day
The table is below. In 77 school days (give or take a day or two depending on different school calendars) there has been 159,807 covid positives in Massachusetts schools. Many were preventable has we taken known precautions. In school year 2020-2021 there were 20,321 total cases.
https://ibb.co/gDXGz2J
Yesterday I received a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) at my PCP. It’s a one time shot.
Next, booster #2 in March.
https://twitter.com/jenroesch/status/1481752244206899203?s=21
For those who do not use Twitter, the tweet is belie.
“ When we reach the point that we are sending the National Guard into schools to cover for massive #’s of sick staff w/ Covid, two things are true:
1) This isn’t really about education or kids’ mental health
2) Something is seriously broken in our society.”
It’s going to take a lot more student walkouts from other communities as well to convince Baker and DESE. I would like to see an organized “statewide” walkout which imo would send a big message to our elected leaders and school officials. Very sad it might have to come to this.
I absolutely agree. I was thinking this morning that we aeem incapable of working together for the greater good. I have never believed that schools should be full remote this year…..until now. And even then only temporary. No matter how passionate a person is re in person, in my heart I cannot believe that close to 100,000 positives in eight in-person days does not scream the need to step back and rethink our approach
I’m actually somewhat surprised that students are actually in favor of remote learning, albeit on a temporary basis. To hear the adults tell it, remote learning is the absolute worst that can happen for a student to go through. I certainly fell for it.
I agree with you. I am also surprised.
Not to be too crass or cynical but let’s not forget that parents themselves have “skin in the game” too and for many parents kids in school is preferable – i.e. not always easy to have kids at home vs school.
For me it feels like right now we seem to be in a surreal time where you can basically justify whatever you prefer/desire to believe with various sets of “facts”. There are articles & experts recommending pretty much whatever you want to believe right now – from all remote is only safe way to all in person lest we destroy our children’s mental health, and everything in between. I think we are all completely bewildered as to what is accurate now – ahhh life in the days of covid!
Ok I’m laughing out loud. I was reading down and hadn’t seen your comment. You are not being crass. You are being absolutely honest. I’ve been waiting for someone to say this. I already feel too vocal about school so though it might be heard better from someone other than me. Thank you, as always, for your well reasoned comments
I am not surprised at all. I listen to the kids who are chosen to represent their student bodies at school committee meetings I listen to friends of my grandkids. Some prefer in school , but some also prefer remote. Parents let other factors enter in and it is their voices we are hearing. I’m not saying the view of parents is less important. I just know it doesn’t always gel with that of students.
Re the discussion above. The saddest part of this is the majority of parents who make their voices heard …..and folks who simply have no clue…..are making comments very similar to what adults always say when kids speak up. Such as….kids just want an excuse to get out of school. They are too young to know what is right. And so on.
To the endemic question by Hadi..
https://twitter.com/erictopol/status/1482011136417361923?s=21
As we descend from the peak in the Northeast, Florida, and several other states, we will see improvement in our hospitals soon. My guess is within 10-14 days or so.
However, the decrease in cases will not necessarily translate nationwide to a decline in hospitalizations and ICU usage. We already see some evidence of that as cases nationwide have crested, BUT hospitalizations are increasing along with ICU usage. Two things to note: 1. Hospitalizations are a lagging indicator; 2. The wave is now hitting states with lower vaccination rates. So, it is more likely that cases in those states will translate into hospitalizations than, say, in the Northeast.
The coming weeks will still be very difficult nationwide.
The next question is whether Omicron (together with vaccinations, previously acquired immunity) will provide sufficient immunity to serve as protector against future Covid-19 incursions. This remains to be seen. Let’s hope this is true, for that would effectively end the pandemic phase.
I certainly hope that happens as well so we can stop wearing masks and vaccine passports, especially the “former.”
Here is the Covid Dashboard for yesterday, along with my updated graph and the latest from the MWRA
Dashboard
https://ibb.co/DQxwjSw
Graph
https://ibb.co/RYHwjck
MWRA Covid Discharge
https://ibb.co/P9NVdW4
It sure looks like we have peaked. Let us hope so.
Thank you, JPD. Sure does look that way.
On long covid and omicron
https://twitter.com/loscharlos/status/1481872081130115073?s=21
Thanks Vicki. Another good reason not to catch Omicron in the first place. Unfortunately even the fully vaccinated are not immune through no fault of their own.
Joshua, why do healthcare facilities insist on those who arrive for appointments, visits etc. to put on a “fresh” mask even if the person is already wearing a surgical mask just like the ones offered?
I don’t know. Good question. I recall this happening when I went for my vaccinations at the Reggie Lewis Center in April and May.
I asked a while ago….which should not be a surprise. For someone who was shy enough to rarely utter two words with a stranger, I’m now on a first name, nearly good friend, with folks who I interact with at facilities.
It just ensures that everyone has a clean and adequate mask. It is an extra step to protect us, them and everyone there
The tweet below refers to a woman who’s very sick with Covid. It references a tweet from the person who’s sick and asking people to pray for her. She’s anti-vax, anti-mask, etc … She was very vocal in her opposition to these measures.
The person tweeting about the Covid patient doesn’t berate her, but does challenge her to reflect on what she’s said once modern medicine has hopefully made her recover. I like this approach. I do not like the tweets of those who basically say they hope she dies or she’s getting what she deserves. https://twitter.com/Dallas_Holladay/status/1481891691019735040
Lest we need reminding of how bad things are in the U.S. right now: 2,800 deaths reported today; Hospitalizations >155,000 (ICU ~ 26,000). https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1482154850125160449
C-19 for 1-15 is ready.