prior to delta? Probably true.... but if kids didn't spread it now I'm not sure why our area schools are hammered with covid right now. More and more kids are getting it. Probably has something to do with variant plus enough old geezers are vaccinated so virus is hitting younger population harder.

Kids for sure spread it.

Issue is kids are always sick and it's hard to tell if a kid has Covid or a cold.

Which adds to Covid spreading in kids.

I got it from my kid. Both our symptoms were very mild as he's a kid and I'm vaccinated but it's definitely spreading through our school pretty rapidly.

Pre-Delta - not really in a meaningful way.

With Delta - very much so if the plethora of reports are any indication.

I got Covid from one of my students last December. I then gave it to my entire family.

I'm sure they spread Delta pretty dang well. And if you think kids under 10 are good at wearing a mask or that masks will prevent the spread of Delta which is roughly 4x as contagious as prior variants you are kidding yourself. If you have a kid in school you should plan as if you are going to be exposed to COVID soon and vaccinate especially if you have risk factors for severe disease.

KidDoc said:

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And if you think kids under 10 are good at wearing a mask or that masks will prevent the spread of Delta which is roughly 4x as contagious as prior variants you are kidding yourself. If you have a kid in school you should plan as if you are going to be exposed to COVID soon and vaccinate especially if you have risk factors for severe disease.

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This is the message the media should be focusing on!

cc_ag92 said:

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What precautions do you think schools should implement? Do you think there's anything they can do to slow the spread? I'm curious because I know our local elementary schools are really struggling right now. Lots of unfilled sub vacancies, classes with half of the students sick, etc.

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Don't send kids to school sick. This is a cultural issue that I struggle with as much as anyone with my work- but if you have symptoms you need to stay home until you know it isn't COVID.

If you think it is allergies, check pollen.com. If there are no new pollens popping up is it NOT allergies (unless you are allergic to indoor stuff but then it shouldn't start suddenly).

Good hand hygiene, good ventilation likely helps. In the middle/high schools stagger class transfers so not EVERY kid is in the cramped hallways at the same time. Space desks out if at all possible, I know the CDC said 3 feet is probably ok but more is better.

The bottom line though is every teacher, student, and parent should just assume they are going to get exposed. If not in the next few months then in the next few years. Get your rest, exercise, vitamins, and vaccine especially if you have any risk factors.

For the 12+ age I've been watching the myocarditis reports and they don't seem to really be going up as more and more get vaccine so I would strongly consider vaccinating your teens at this point as the vaccines do decrease the spread-- roughly 60% by most estimates.

Not sending kids to school sick is probably never going to happen, unfortunately. Also unfortunately, most classrooms don't have room for desks to be spaced out when enrollment is typical instead of lowered like last year.
I've read some about filters that can be installed in school buildings. I wish our legislature would mandate those so that ventilation was improved.
I like the idea of staggered class transfers in theory, but am not sure how that would work when students aren't all traveling to the same set of classes. Maybe a computer could figure it out.
Asking teachers to rest at the beginning of the school year is pretty laughable, even worse this year because of the burdens being placed on them when their teammates are absent. Four out of six kindergarten teachers were out this week at one of our local campuses. The two teachers still there were planning, making copies, juggling everything for the other classes. Paraprofessionals were leading (managing?) classes because they couldn't get enough subs. Two weeks in and the children are really just hanging out in the building because teaching isn't happening in those four classrooms. Half of them are home anyway, so they will have a fresh start, I guess, when they all return, hopefully soon.
I know I sound negative and I don't really mean to be that way, but I know lots of educators who are trying to figure this out and really struggling. If the legislature would fund and mandate better ventilation, that would be something at least.

MiMi said:

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Quote:

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I would strongly consider vaccinating your teens at this point as the vaccines do decrease the spread-- roughly 60% by most estimates.

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My 16-yr-old daughter is hesitant to get vaccinated. Her last wellness exam (early summer) was pre-delta so her pediatrician didn't really try to convince her. Also, she had to get both meningitis vaccines at that visit so I didn't want to add a third vaccine at the same time anyway. What is the best way to convince her get it?

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Ask her why she doesn't want it and answer those questions- even better have the pediatrician do it! I get the same question multiple times a day.

Her risk of driving is way more dangerous but the way delta is ripping through USA right now the more vaccinated the better.

This is extremely frustrating to say the least. We've had 1.5 years to prepare for the contingency of this school year being affected by the virus. To have no top-down plan for mitigating exposure is laughable.

"Just be prepared to get it" if you have a school-aged kid is a failed fatalistic way of thinking. ESP when dealing with a potentially deadly virus that leaves 5-15% of those that get it with long-term consequences.

gunan01 said:

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This is extremely frustrating to say the least. We've had 1.5 years to prepare for the contingency of this school year being affected by the virus. To have no top-down plan for mitigating exposure is laughable.

"Just be prepared to get it" if you have a school-aged kid is a failed fatalistic way of thinking. ESP when dealing with a potentially deadly virus that leaves 5-15% of those that get it with long-term consequences.

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Well last year everyone said once we have a vaccine. Than people chose not to get it and have allowed the virus to continue to evolve. Not sure what else could be done. Your kids will likely be fine if they get it but if you have a kid in a public school, I'd say having the vaccine for yourself is your family's best protection.

I've had 5 coworkers with kids in school test positive in the last week. Nobody that didn't have kids has yet tested positive.

gunan01 said:

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This is extremely frustrating to say the least. We've had 1.5 years to prepare for the contingency of this school year being affected by the virus. To have no top-down plan for mitigating exposure is laughable.

"Just be prepared to get it" if you have a school-aged kid is a failed fatalistic way of thinking. ESP when dealing with a potentially deadly virus that leaves 5-15% of those that get it with long-term consequences.

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What would you suggest? With the vaccinated still being able to spread it, about the only way to stop spread is for everyone to stay home. That's the reality.

If you have any actual effective ways to stop spread, I'm all ears.

KidDoc said:

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cc_ag92 said:

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What precautions do you think schools should implement? Do you think there's anything they can do to slow the spread? I'm curious because I know our local elementary schools are really struggling right now. Lots of unfilled sub vacancies, classes with half of the students sick, etc.

---

Don't send kids to school sick. This is a cultural issue that I struggle with as much as anyone with my work- but if you have symptoms you need to stay home until you know it isn't COVID.

If you think it is allergies, check pollen.com. If there are no new pollens popping up is it NOT allergies (unless you are allergic to indoor stuff but then it shouldn't start suddenly).

Good hand hygiene, good ventilation likely helps. In the middle/high schools stagger class transfers so not EVERY kid is in the cramped hallways at the same time. Space desks out if at all possible, I know the CDC said 3 feet is probably ok but more is better.

The bottom line though is every teacher, student, and parent should just assume they are going to get exposed. If not in the next few months then in the next few years. Get your rest, exercise, vitamins, and vaccine especially if you have any risk factors.

For the 12+ age I've been watching the myocarditis reports and they don't seem to really be going up as more and more get vaccine so I would strongly consider vaccinating your teens at this point as the vaccines do decrease the spread-- roughly 60% by most estimates.

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This is something out culture does need to change on, especially for adults. We've just proven how effective we can be working from home, so letting parents work from home when their kids are sick should work it's way into the work place. Same with when adults are sick.

I fell strongly that the only way to stop spread is for everyone to stay home. And even then, it is only going to stop it for a while until everyone gets back together.

I think it's good advice to say hey, the vaccine is going to boost your immune system to fight the virus, will reduce the spread some, and keep vigilant with yourself and your kids so you don't unnecessarily expose others.

t - cam said:

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gunan01 said:

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This is extremely frustrating to say the least. We've had 1.5 years to prepare for the contingency of this school year being affected by the virus. To have no top-down plan for mitigating exposure is laughable.

"Just be prepared to get it" if you have a school-aged kid is a failed fatalistic way of thinking. ESP when dealing with a potentially deadly virus that leaves 5-15% of those that get it with long-term consequences.

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Well last year everyone said once we have a vaccine. Than people chose not to get it and have allowed the virus to continue to evolve. Not sure what else could be done. Your kids will likely be fine if they get it but if you have a kid in a public school, I'd say having the vaccine for yourself is your family's best protection.

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This

Those who chose not to get the vaccine are the leading cause for covid still ****ing up everyone's lives

When and where did the current variants arise?

People blaming non-vaxed are way off base as far as preventing Delta variant. The Delta variant was spreading in India well before vaccines were started in USA and other countries. Vaccines are the best tool we have today to decrease the risk of death and they do decrease the risk of spreading but not as good as pre-Delta COVID.

Yes we had 18 months to plan, but the significant increased infectiousness of Delta vs prior variants was feared but not predictable. The prior COVID variants did not seem to spread well in kids, Delta is different sadly.

I don't think it is fatalistic to think if you are a parent your kid will probably bring home Delta COVID- I think it is a harsh reality. Every parent knows when their young child starts school or day care they bring home several viral infections from RSV to stomach bugs. It is part of being human and over time it makes them stronger.

And the 10-15% figure quoted with long term issues is going to be MUCH lower with time and more data in my hope and opinion-- more like 1-2% tops especially in children with their robust immune systems.

Bruce Almighty said:

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We had this discussion at our school (I teach Junior high in a district with about 30% vaccination rate). We aren't worried about the kids, we are worried about them taking it home to their parents and grandparents. Of course, we had this same talk last year and we never shut down and to my knowledge, no student lost a family member, but Delta could be different.

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This is why it's important for parents and grandparents to get vaccinated and stay out of hospitals.

If everyone is vaccinated then spread and cases don't matter.

bay fan said:

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KidDoc said:

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People blaming non-vaxed are way off base as far as preventing Delta variant. The Delta variant was spreading in India well before vaccines were started in USA and other countries. Vaccines are the best tool we have today to decrease the risk of death and they do decrease the risk of spreading but not as good as pre-Delta COVID.

Yes we had 18 months to plan, but the significant increased infectiousness of Delta vs prior variants was feared but not predictable. The prior COVID variants did not seem to spread well in kids, Delta is different sadly.

I don't think it is fatalistic to think if you are a parent your kid will probably bring home Delta COVID- I think it is a harsh reality. Every parent knows when their young child starts school or day care they bring home several viral infections from RSV to stomach bugs. It is part of being human and over time it makes them stronger.

And the 10-15% figure quoted with long term issues is going to be MUCH lower with time and more data in my hope and opinion-- more like 1-2% tops especially in children with their robust immune systems.

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So going forward, would higher percentage of vaccinated Americans slow the spread of subsequent variants?

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Not really. It would take world wide vaccination to really decrease the risk of further variants. Every time the virus replicates there is a chance of mutation so as long as their are non immune hosts there is a chance of mutation. Now if your community has high vaccination coverage it will be harder for an outbreak to get going especially if booster doses help prevent even mild infection which is what the CDC/FDA are hoping for.

KidDoc said:

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I'm sure they spread Delta pretty dang well. And if you think kids under 10 are good at wearing a mask or that masks will prevent the spread of Delta which is roughly 4x as contagious as prior variants you are kidding yourself. If you have a kid in school you should plan as if you are going to be exposed to COVID soon and vaccinate especially if you have risk factors for severe disease.

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Yep. Agree with those who think Delta changed things. My 11 year old brought it home from Pine Covid. The rest of us are vaxxed. My wife got a headache. I took a nap one afternoon. That was it, I guess. People without kids may be a little slow on the uptake, so let me spell it out as a PSA. YOU ARE GOING TO GET COVID. DECIDE NOW WHETHER YOU WANT TO FACE IT WITH A VACCINE.