Coronavirus in the United States - news and thoughts

Disagree. There are more than enough studies out there that show that schools being open don't cause increase in covid spread more so than having schools closed. I realize people want to pounce on anything that can even remotely show to keep schools closed, but it's the data is out there and abundant. And I don't buy that it's just California dealing with a new strain that's causing only them issues. Florida has a significantly higher senior population compared to California also which is a huge driver of who's at serious risk of Covid.

 

The opposite is true. There is tons of data out there showing schools don't contribute to covid more so than normal community spread. IF schools being closed stopped Covid, California would be doing great. So there's all the proof you need. Try looking at all the data next time. Would save me the trouble of pointing out the flaws in your thinking.

 

It's real simple. There is a correlation between states with more in-person schooling and states with higher case rates. Look at your map, look at case rates by state, and you will see that. Do you at least have the honesty to acknowledge that?

 

It has nothing to do with honesty. Show me the data that shows schools being open increase covid spread. I'll wait. Otherwise I expect you to apologize for being wrong, again.

 

Trump admin during pandemic. Awful how they attempted to scale back testing. Literally increase death - thanks to trump.

“The email, Clyburn said in the letters, "shows that political appointees were involved in the decision to change CDC's guidance, and that the Trump Administration changed the guidance for the explicit purpose of reducing testing and allowing the virus to spread while quickly reopening the economy."

Trump administration influenced CDC guidance to suppress Covid testing, House panel says

 

What part of the highlighted part don't you understand? Because you are arguing against data that proves you are wrong.

 

The majority of the studies show schools are safe for the kids. Show me studies that show the adults that work at the schools are safe. They are much harder to find. But as suggested by this Nat Geo article, in areas with high infection rates, keeping schools open will mean more infections in the school. Even if the transmission of the virus is more likely adult to adult, and the number of children present, especially if they are younger, do not account for many transmissions.

Any place that has adult to adult contact risks the transmission of the disease. This includes schools, unless you close the Teacher's lounge and ensure all teachers are masked up 100% of the time, and socially distance with other adults. Even then, the risk isn't 0%, as kids can transmit COVID-19, albeit, at a lower rate.

What this data suggests that if you want to keep teachers and school staff safer, close schools when there is a high rate of community infection. In low areas, keep them open. Again, if there is any data that focuses on the adults in the schools and their safety that suggests otherwise, I'm happy to read it.

 

Read the above post in the highlighted part. It would say if there was excess spread to teachers. There wasn't.

 

We're not talking about causation or anything else. Only correlation. There is a statistical correlation between states that have the most in-person schooling and states that have the highest case rates. That is a fact. Do you agree? An honest answer would be something like, 'yes, there is a correlation, but that does not imply causation'. Is that your answer?

 

You haven't been honest about schools in months. So sorry if I don't listen to what you say. There is no correlation. IF there was then California would be doing awesome since they are the most stringent when it comes to keeping schools closed. Tough luck.

 

What is excess spread? Is it defined by you? If the RO factor is increased by 1% by keeping schools open, that may not seem to be excessive. But in a school district like TUSD in Tucson, there are over 6,000 employees. And keeping the schools open during a time of high community spread could mean the potential for dozens more, if not hundreds more employees get COVID. And could be partially to blame for the district losing 6 employees in less than a month who died from COVID. Are you certain that keeping schools open is not to blame at all? I can't say, for certain, either way, but then you look at the correlation between case numbers per capita and places where schools are open, and it certain suggests potential causation.

Las, you are still not admitting for other variables. If the main strain in CA had a RO factor of 10% higher than most other parts of the country, that would mean an exceptionally high number of cases, especially in the urban/suburban areas of Southern Cal and Northern Cal. Even with schools closed.

 

Then you are either lying or you are ignorant of what correlation means.

 

Nope. But you've been lying about schools for months and don't give a crap. Good job

 

Listen, if you want to not have your kids go to school, then keep them home. But there are plenty parents who are happy to have their kids in school and plenty of teachers who are happy to be teaching in person. You are throwing a lot of IF's in your posts. The data is all there. Go research the North Carolina and Wisconsin studies. They are 2 of the biggest to date.

 

Again, they study safety for the kids. Which really isn't up for much debate. But what about the adults that work at the schools? Is there a definitive study that shows no increase infection or death rate for them? Because there are stories that show there are increased risks, and the correlation between areas where schools are open and instances of higher cases overall suggests there is some potential causation.

Yes, there are a bunch of ifs in my posts. Life is about a bunch of ifs, is it not? Especially when dealing with a novel (meaning new) virus that we still know very little about in comparison with most other diseases that effect humans. And the question here isn't where to eat lunch, like which would be better, if I went to Subway or Chipotle. We're dealing with a virus that has killed millions, including over 450,000 American lives already. If there is an increased risk to teachers and adult school staff in areas with high community spread, should schools be open in these areas?

 

They study the SCHOOLS. There is data out there on teachers as well, go read the North Carolina and the Wisconsin studies. And no, Covid hasn't killed over 450k Americans so far. Not to get off on a tangent but that would mean Covid is all of excess deaths in the US and would mean that all other causes of death combined would net to zero excess deaths from last year. No rational person believes that.

 

Florida has a large number of the UK strain as well.
CDC: Florida has more UK COVID-19 variant cases than any other state
FL has more UK COVID-19 variant cases than any other state | firstcoastnews.com




While it is sad that some teachers may get very sick, Florida (at least my kids school district) has been tracking very closely the number of kids and teachers infected. Obviously it's hard to say where an initial infection starts but as there are very few clusters here, it suggests schools aren't the cause of large numbers of infections.

Certainly it may be "safest" to error on the side of caution, but there are collateral affects to keeping schools shut down.

Pandemic Takes Toll On Children's Mental Health : NPR

Overseas, in a survey of 1,143 parents measuring the effects of the lockdowns in Italy and Spain, nearly 86% reported changes in their children such as difficulty concentrating and spending more time online and asleep, and less time engaging in physical activity. A study of 2,330 schoolchildren in China found both anxiety and depression rose compared with rates seen in previous investigations.


There's plenty of anecdotal evidence to corroborate these trends.

"We see high levels of anxiety," said Saun-Toy Trotter, a psychotherapist at University of California, San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland, "high levels of depression."

Her school-based clinic recorded more youth suicide attempts in the first four weeks of the pandemic than it did in the entire previous year, she said.

"They're giving up hope," Trotter said. "There's nowhere to go. There's nothing to do. There's nothing to connect with. There's just deflatedness."


Eating disorders on the rise during COVID-19 pandemic, experts say (wymt.com)

Dr. Khalsa-Zemel said isolation during the pandemic is making for a dangerous situation for people with eating disorders, she added that calls to the National Eating Disorder Association hotline have gone up by 80 percent in recent months since the pandemic began.

Is Your Eating Disorder Back? Covid Might Be Partly to Blame | Psychology Today

A new study from Northumbria University found that that 87 percent of people with past or current eating disorders reported that their symptoms are “worse” (one-third say “much worse”) since quarantine began*. Similarly, The National Eating Disorders Association reported a 78 percent increase in calls to their hotline and online chats compared to a year ago.

One of the biggest reasons—eating disorders thrive in isolation. This is one reason why so many health professionals have seen a dramatic increase in people seeking help during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. People are cut off from their daily social support that is key to recovery. Also, 45 percent of respondents to the International Journal of Eating Disorders study indicated they were suddenly left without care, cut off during the pandemic.

 

Correct, we are at 475,000 as of today.

 

No it hasn't. If you believe that then you must believe that somehow all Cancer, heart disease, Alzheimers, dementia, drug overdose and murders have been net negative year over year. That is one hell of a coincidence.

 

Did you just not take statistics in college? Or are you being dishonest? There is actually quite a strong correlation here. The top 10 states in cases rates are ND, SD, RI, UT, TN, AZ, IA, OK, AR and NE. If you look at your map you will see that 5 of these states are in the 80-100% in-person schooling group and 2 more are in the 60-80 group. So 7 of the top 10 states in case rates are in the high in-person schooling groups as well. And none of the top 10 states in case rates are in the lower in-person schooling groups.

The 10 states with the lowest case rates are WV, PA, VA ,MI, MA, NH, WA, OR, ME, VA, and HI. Of these states, 6 are in the 2 lower in-person schooling groups. And none of these states are in the higher in-person schooling groups.

Very strong correlation here.