Going Remote

[anniemae]

One thing that confuses me is that some states are reporting that numbers are trending downward and that certain states may have hit the peak of omicron and are getting past the surge. I can't help but feel this is misleading.

first, not as many folks are testing this month. it seems TONS of people tested last month because they were traveling for the holidays (we had reports of 4 hours long lines to get tested), or they were staying local but still wanted to test to make sure they would not spread to family. This probably caught a lot of people with mild symptoms or no symptoms who would not have been tested if not for holiday gatherings/travel.

Second, we now have more access to "at home" covid tests. The results of those are not recorded anywhere so any positive results are unaccounted for.

I know many schools look at numbers to determine if they should go remote or drop mask mandates.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The results of those are not recorded anywhere so any positive results are unaccounted for.

That's not necessarily true. Just the other day my county (the most populous in our state) launched a site for people to report their results (negative or positive). I know other health departments in my area are looking to do the same and I *think* I heard my state may be looking at it.

Def. the bulk of these results will go unreported although it does sorta mirror the same issue as if you got PCR or rapid results by a facility that reports the results, a lot of people do repeat testing due to work or school, etc.

In any case I think more places should have long ago and should going forward create sites to self-report. Won't be perfect, never can, but better than nothing.

I don't know how many parents or anyone really will end up reporting but at least it's available in my direct area now.

 

[mrs. magoo]

That's not necessarily true. Just the other day my county (the most populous in our state) launched a site for people to report their results (negative or positive). I know other health departments in my area are looking to do the same and I *think* I heard my state may be looking at it.

Def. the bulk of these results will go unreported although it does sorta mirror the same issue as if you got PCR or rapid results by a facility that reports the results, a lot of people do repeat testing due to work or school, etc.

In any case I think more places should have long ago and should going forward create sites to self-report. Won't be perfect, never can, but better than nothing.

I don't know how many parents or anyone really will end up reporting but at least it's available in my direct area now.

My county has a self report site that you need to use if you test positive on a home test. That being said we did not report our 3 positives in my house. My father did report it to his doctor not the site but my girls just isolated in their rooms for the 5 days. I know they should have reported it but the county is no longer contact tracing and we know what the rules are for isolation and no one in my house is required to quarantine as we are all vaxxed ad boosted so in the grade scheme of things we did not fill it out. My school's determination of remote learning is based on teacher absences and whether or not we have enough staff to cover classes safely.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

My school's determination of remote learning is based on teacher absences and whether or not we have enough staff to cover classes safely.

Ours is as well (well more should school be cancelled). However cases and those on isolation due to exposure are used for mask requirements for upper grades.

I know they should have reported it but the county is no longer contact tracing and we know what the rules are for isolation and no one in my house is required to quarantine as we are all vaxxed ad boosted so in the grade scheme of things we did not fill it out.

That may be a reason people don't report it (and believe me I get it not trying to criticize y'all) but really everyone should if they can. In the grand scheme it helps just to look at how someone's particular area is doing in at least a more complete way. When the PP mentioned peaks and such part of that goes into where the see the virus rising first and I believe omicron in large part was the east coast. Here in the Midwest Delta stuck around longer before Omicron made it's appearance.

I know the state next to me is heavily using sewer systems for review since it shows up there first (as gross as that sounds). They could see how the presence rose over time. Matching that data with self-reporting just strengthens the understanding of the spread.

But I also think, and it's a pipe dream here, is if all the places that are conducting self-reporting can have people list if this was a routine (like work or school), a result of an exposure, a result of symptoms present or if due to an event or gathering (precautionary). When I looked at our county's website it didn't have that. I think that may help separate out those who are showing up with symptoms but aren't needing medical care and those who are finding out randomly.

I think for the most part places are switching from pure case numbers to hospitalizations but it may be helpful to tie in timing of self-tests and worsening of symptoms if it led to medical care being needed. For school systems it probably doesn't matter as much but we're seeing more younger kids being hospitalized than prior variants so maybe it would be helpful to know for data purposes when kids tested positive at home. It's probably like pulling teeth though to get at least some parents to do it because I know some were even hesitant to test their kids.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Our new governor just issued an order making masks in schools the parents’ choice; schools can no longer make masks mandatory. The order goes into effect this coming Monday. Many big public school districts are ignoring the order; masks will still be mandatory next week. At my small Catholic school, we are still waiting for our diocese to release their policy, which we will have to follow. I’m hoping they decide to have us follow CDC guidelines and require masks. But they may not. I know our parent population; if we don’t require masks, most parents won’t make their kids wear them (don’t get me started on that...). As a teacher, I’m really worried about all of us being packed together in classrooms all day with no masks in the middle of a surge. It sounds like a recipe for disaster.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

We are still open in person and I don’t anticipate us going remote at this point. We have a LOT of student absences, but our staff has weathered it well (knock on wood). I do feel bad for the students who are out, but I’m actually really happy we’re not going remote.

In following the new state guidelines, we’re going to group tracing as opposed to close contact, so the notifications are never ending. We have weekly testing on site at my school and my kids’ district is handing out free rapid tests (and PCR for those who want them) to any contact. They are also allowing a negative rapid after 5 days for return to school. We still have our mask mandate in place and I don’t see that going away anytime soon.

 

[neverlandsky]

Our district launched test to stay. Where it’s 100% volunteer to take a rapid test in-school for students/staff that were exposed at school. This way you don’t have to go directly to Q if you want to take the rapid test. If negative, you don’t have to Q. Hoping work adopts this as well.

In-person started back yesterday after a 2 day pause for the long weekend. Youngest first day back was yesterday, out of Q. Felt odd after not being in school for over a month. So they were tired.

According to the school board in-person is the goal, yet is prepare for pauses when there’s surges. Virtual will only be for those on Q or if the school district has to pause, yet will not be no longer than 14 days total. It’s being hammered if student doesn’t feel well keep them home. Better safe than sorry.

 

[mrs. magoo]

I don't envision my school going remote again this year. We were on remote for 6 days coming back in person on Tuesday. I can't tell you the number of fights we have had in the past 3 days. We actually had a hold in place yesterday for one fight that involved like 100 kids. The building is like a powder keg just waiting to explode.

We have a mask mandate here in NY but it is a joke. I teach high schoolers and they basically do not wear the mask correctly or not at all. It is such a battle to try to get them to wear it over their nose and under their mouth. I have a girl that is coming to class and I know that she would test positive but the nurse said she can't make her test and the district no longer makes kids get tested before returning to school from being sick. Our case numbers here are starting to decline so I hope that we are peaking and on our way down.

 

[cmarsh31]

In person in NY here too. We haven't gone remote since last year, my school or my kids' district. Mask wearing is mandatory but... yeah, a total joke. We're doing regular midterms and having a basically normal-ish year.

 

[mom2rtk]

I don't envision my school going remote again this year. We were on remote for 6 days coming back in person on Tuesday. I can't tell you the number of fights we have had in the past 3 days. We actually had a hold in place yesterday for one fight that involved like 100 kids. The building is like a powder keg just waiting to explode.

We have a mask mandate here in NY but it is a joke. I teach high schoolers and they basically do not wear the mask correctly or not at all. It is such a battle to try to get them to wear it over their nose and under their mouth. I have a girl that is coming to class and I know that she would test positive but the nurse said she can't make her test and the district no longer makes kids get tested before returning to school from being sick. Our case numbers here are starting to decline so I hope that we are peaking and on our way down.

I'm confused, but haven't read every post. How were you having fights if you have been remote?

 

[soccerdad72]

I'm confused, but haven't read every post. How were you having fights if you have been remote?

If I read it correctly, they've been back in person since Tuesday.

 

[tcufrog]

DS14's school district is bringing in administrators to help the teachers. DS10's school canceled the final basketball games for the 5/6th grade boys and girls teams because the 2 coaches had Covid and they didn't have enough players to field the boys' team. During the previous game, my son's team had only 6 players. They lost badly even though the teams were equally good because the other team had twice as many players so they could sub in more often.

 

[mrs. magoo]

I'm confused, but haven't read every post. How were you having fights if you have been remote?

We came back in person on Tuesday after the MLK holiday. It has been a mess and the fights have been off the hook. We have had 2 more this morning before lunch. If you ask the kids they don't want to be on remote but when in school they skip and don't wear masks so being a teacher really is rough at this time.

 

[leahgoogle]

We have never gone to remote learning in our elementary, middle or high schools since the initial shutdown in March of 2020. We had a mask mandate last school year, but have not had one this entire school year. Sports on as scheduled with no masks or spectator distancing (son plays Varsity basketball and volleyball & daughter is about to start 8th grade basketball games). We have had some cases, but the reported cases are at no higher a rate than the masked schools in our area. Our School Board researched the case rates from mandatory contact tracing last year and found that there were very few positive cases of classmates sitting by a positive student in class so quarantine is optional this year if contact traced at school (you can always keep your child home to remote learn in that case, but you don't have to). I am so thankful to live where I live! We are able to make our own decisions regarding our children. We have not had fighting in our district about masks, vaccines or quarantining that I have seen. A parent with a high-risk child is allowed to remote learn if desired.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We have never gone to remote learning in our elementary, middle or high schools since the initial shutdown in March of 2020. We had a mask mandate last school year, but have not had one this entire school year. Sports on as scheduled with no masks or spectator distancing (son plays Varsity basketball and volleyball & daughter is about to start 8th grade basketball games). We have had some cases, but the reported cases are at no higher a rate than the masked schools in our area. Our School Board researched the case rates from mandatory contact tracing last year and found that there were very few positive cases of classmates sitting by a positive student in class so quarantine is optional this year if contact traced at school (you can always keep your child home to remote learn in that case, but you don't have to). I am so thankful to live where I live! We are able to make our own decisions regarding our children. We have not had fighting in our district about masks, vaccines or quarantining that I have seen. A parent with a high-risk child is allowed to remote learn if desired.

I hope your schools are doing a new review since omicron came around. This variant is hitting kids much much more than prior variants. It's precisely why the schools are having these issues this year when they didn't have them quite as much last year and in 2020. Just today Children's Mercy Hospital in our area was going over the increase of child cases with some being in the ICU. It's just a different scenario last prior parts of the pandemic. You should look into the extreme increase in children cases, it's the most of any part of the pandemic right now, mirroring that of other cases. So hopefully your area keeps reviewing things and keeps in a good position

 

[leahgoogle]

I hope your schools are doing a new review since omicron came around. This variant is hitting kids much much more than prior variants. It's precisely why the schools are having these issues this year when they didn't have them quite as much last year and in 2020. Just today Children's Mercy Hospital in our area was going over the increase of child cases with some being in the ICU. It's just a different scenario last prior parts of the pandemic. You should look into the extreme increase in children cases, it's the most of any part of the pandemic right now, mirroring that of other cases. So hopefully your area keeps reviewing things and keeps in a good position

Our district has only revised the time off after having a case of covid and/or having a family member with covid to quarantine. They are allowing kids and teachers to come back after 5 days if symptoms are improving (or if they didn't catch covid) with 5 days of mask wearing. In our area, the cases in kids has increased, but they have been overwhelmingly mild. That's where the decisions of the parents come in. If they have a high-risk child, they have a remote school option. Our school has been very good at not using blanket restrictions for all when the data they have doesn't warrant it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Our district has only revised the time off after having a case of covid and/or having a family member with covid to quarantine. They are allowing kids and teachers to come back after 5 days if symptoms are improving (or if they didn't catch covid) with 5 days of mask wearing. In our area, the cases in kids has increased, but they have been overwhelmingly mild. That's where the decisions of the parents come in. If they have a high-risk child, they have a remote school option. Our school has been very good at not using blanket restrictions for all when the data they have doesn't warrant it.

Gotcha I was just responding because your comment was mostly about the past and what worked with past variants isn't the same right now. When you said the cases between schools with or without masks I meant I hope they were rereviewing that with omicron. When you said what the contract tracing showed last year I would assume the bulk of that was pre-omicron (especially as omicron spread mostly at the Holidays and this month) so I hope they were rereviewing. I'm not really commenting about parental choice (that was a big thing in my area too) just that conversations in the past were with different variants, the game has completely changed. Right now so many of the schools are getting hit with kids out and staff out and that just wasn't the same scenario (nationwide at least) in the past. Schools used to be more of a secondary issue within the community but now they are the primary issue in many communities. If your area is very data looking they'll want to rereview. Like I said though I hope your area keeps in a good position