COVID-19 Policy Update #189
COVID-19 Policy Update
FRIDAY 1/29
TOP THREE
Dallas ISD Will Open A New Hybrid School In The Fall: Students will attend classes in the school building twice a week and engage in remote learning three days a week.
Fauci: Was everywhere this week.
On Morning Joe: “I would back the CDC recommendations because that is really based on data… we need to try and get the children back to school and that's the goal of President Biden that in the next 100 days to get the K-8 back in school. It's less likely for a child to get infected in the school setting than if they were just in the community."
The President "really wants to and believes that the schools need to reopen in the next 100 days, essentially all the K to 8 schools, within 100 days. That's the goal. That may not happen because there may be mitigating circumstances, but what he really wants to do is everything within his power to help get to that."
He also responded to a question about if a vaccinated person could still transmit the virus. He said it's possible which is why vaccinated individuals should still wear masks. But he thinks upcoming research will find that it's unlikely a vaccinated person will infect another person.
Believes children will start receiving vaccinations in the summer.
Newsom: Says California schools won't reopen 'if we wait for the perfect'“
"If we wait for the perfect, we might as well just pack it up and just be honest with folks that we’re not going to open for in-person instruction this school year,” Newsom said during a candid conversation with the Association of California School Administrators that was on YouTube but later made inaccessible."
“You find whatever you look for. If we want to find reasons not to open, we’ll find plenty of reasons,” Newsom added. “If we want to start building on ways to strategize to find ways to getting where we all want to go, we’ll figure that out as well.”
"If everybody has to be vaccinated, we might as well just tell people the truth: there will be no in-person instruction in the state of California. Just tell them the truth. Don't mislead people," Newsom said. "If vaccinations is the absolute, then maybe we should be having a different conversation with the people of the state of California and parents."
FEDERAL
ED: Secretary of Education nominee Dr. Miguel Cardona will have his confirmation hearing on Wed, 2/3 at 10:00am EST.
Congress: The Problem Solvers Caucus unveiled its key priorities for the 117th Congress:
COVID-19
Infrastructure
Broadband Expansion
Small Business and Innovation Incentives
Immigration Reform & Border Security
Debt & Deficit
Health Care
Labor & Workforce
Police Reform
Energy & Climate
Election Security
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Vaccines:
Johnson & Johnson released data showing that its single-dose vaccine was 66% effective in overall preventing COVID-19. Stat News with more.
The level of protection was 72% in the United States, 66% in Latin America and 57% in South Africa.
The company plans to seek EUA from the FDA next week.
The European Medicines Agency formally approved the Oxford/AstraZeneca for use in EU countries.
But...Germany and France's domestic regulators are only recommending its use for those under the age of 65, citing the lack of data for older individuals.
Good time to check in with the Vaccine Tracker.
New Variants: The CDC director says we "We should be treating every case as if it's a variant at this point right now."
Vaccine Hesitancy: College Pulse Survey:
About three-quarters of undergraduates anticipate getting the coronavirus vaccine as soon as it becomes available to them.
Students of color (45%) were less likely than their white peers (57%) to say they’re “very likely” to be vaccinated.
COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkit: The CDC released a toolkit aimed at employers of essential workers designed to raise awareness about vaccination benefits and educate employees. It includes sample letters, signage, PowerPoint deck and more.
COVID-19 Outbreaks: State Reporting By Setting: Report from NGA.
Long Term Effects From COVID: New study that surveyed 3,762 self-described long-haulers from 56 countries.
Six months after diagnosis, almost 50% were unable to work full time and 22% weren't working at all. 88% had cognitive dysfunctions or memory loss.
Many patients are not recovered by 7 months, and continue to experience significant symptom burden.
Studie Zeigt, Dass Das Singen auf Deutsch für die Verbreitung von COVID-19 Am Riskantesten Ist: Article:
"Ludwig’s hymnal theme created more than twice as many particles per minute (1,302) as the Japanese children’s song did (580) but Verdi produced twice as many, at 1,166 particles a minute."
STATE
California:
NYT piece on the debate within the state.
"With the Feb. 16 deadline to open schools looming, there’s no telling how many districts have actually signed on to adopt the plan. Education leaders and teachers have openly criticized it, and negotiations over details appear to be at a standstill. Parents, eager to get their children back to in-person learning this year, have organized a campaign to safely reopen schools once case numbers decline."
"Many teachers and school staff members say they won’t go back to in-person learning in the current climate, with cases still at extremely high levels and more variants emerging."
KQED piece on parents pushing for schools to reopen but unions are pushing back.
Colorado: The Governor is moving teacher vaccines up to February 8
Massachusetts: Petition calls for full-time, in-person learning in all public schools.
Michigan: Chalkbeat with data on the count of COVID-19 cases in Michigan schools.
New Mexico: Fire marshals will assess whether schools are safe for hybrid learning
New York: Buffalo Teachers Federation will sue to prevent schools from reopening Monday
Ohio:
Great idea. The Ledger-Enquirer asked Columbus-area schools to assess COVID protocols. What worked, didn’t work. Interesting responses.
Of the 6,094 employees surveyed at Columbus City Schools, 55% indicated they would get the Coronavirus vaccine. 26% said they would not sign up for a shot. 19% said they were still not sure.
75% in Reynoldsburg City Schools said they were interested in the vaccine
Worthington City Schools found 90% of its staff will receive the vaccine this week.
INTERNATIONAL
Ghana: Pencils of Promise on schools reopening
RESOURCES
How to Reopen Schools? Officials Try Financial Lures and Threats: Via WSJ
“The money is a bargaining chip in two ways,” said Marguerite Roza, director of the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University. More funding could address concerns school staff have about safety in classrooms, while threats to pull funding could hasten a return, she said."
"Tennessee lawmakers last week proposed legislation that could pull funding from schools that don’t provide 70 days of in-person instruction this academic year and a full 180 days next year for kindergarten through eighth-grade students."
Do Educators Actually Believe Schools Are Essential?: Asks Rick Hess
5 Things State Leaders Should Do to Ensure the Latest Federal Stimulus Funds for Schools Are Used Equitably: From EdTrust
Privacy Goals: New post from CDT.
Children Need to Be Back in School Tomorrow: David Brooks column
"There’s a wave of anti-intellectualism sweeping America. There are people across the country who deny evidence, invent their own facts and live in their own fantasyland. We saw it in the Republicans who denied the reality of the Biden election victory and we see it now in the teachers unions that are shutting down schools and marring children’s lives."
"Teachers unions don’t seem to have adjusted to the facts. The Chicago public schools union is on the verge of an illegal strike, even though 130 private schools and 2,000 early learning centers have been open safely since the fall."
"Readers, many of us got involved in the Black Lives Matter marches last summer. I guess I would ask you, do Black lives matter to you only when they serve your political purpose? If not, shouldn’t we all be marching to get Black and brown children back safely into schools right now?"
They're Coming: to see the Temptations...