COVID-19 Policy Update #258
COVID-19 Policy Update
WEDNESDAY 5/19
TOP THREE
New Research Suggests Number of Kids Hospitalized for COVID Is Overcounted: Via David Zweig
"Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious-diseases specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, and Amy Beck, an associate professor of pediatrics, also at UCSF, wrote a commentary for Hospital Pediatrics that accompanied the two studies. They wrote, “Taken together, these studies underscore the importance of clearly distinguishing between children hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 found on universal testing versus those hospitalized for COVID-19 disease.”
"In one study, conducted at a children’s hospital in Northern California, among the 117 pediatric SARS-CoV2-positive patients hospitalized between May 10, 2020, and February 10, 2021, the authors concluded that 53 of them (or 45 percent) “were unlikely to be caused by SARS-CoV-2.”
Michigan: Gov. Whitmer Wednesday released the MI Blueprint for Comprehensive Student Recovery, giving guidance for schools to create COVID-19 recovery plans.
California: Children Now, Public Advocates, the National Center for Youth Law, and Californians Together analysis which finds a lack of spending accountability for COVID funding. Report also highlights promoting trends and practices.
FEDERAL
Fauci: Says people "misinterpreting" mask guidance
COVID-19 RESEARCH
COVID Testing in Schools: Montreal study suggests rapid COVID-19 tests have limited effectiveness in schools
The Social Predictors for Who Gets The Vaccine: Via Axios
"Where you live, how educated you are, whether you have health insurance and whether you have access to the internet are all correlated with how likely you are to be vaccinated against the coronavirus."
"The CDC released a report yesterday showing that only 39% of Americans living in rural counties had been vaccinated as of early April, compared with 46% of people in urban counties.
STATE
Arizona: Avondale Virtual Innovation Academy seeing more enrollment.
DC: Reading Partners and DC form partnership with Howard University to address learning loss.
Hawaii: Legislature directs federal funds to support broadband. Governor asked the Legislature to create a new Broadband and Digital Equity Office to secure more federal money and to oversee improvements to Hawaii’s network.
Illinois: The Illinois State Board of Education passed a resolution requiring “fully in-person learning” next school year, with limited exceptions.
Indiana: How much each school district is receiving under ARP.
North Carolina: Guilford County Schools has 8,000 students signed up for summer school compared to 1,200 in 2019.
Texas: Schools urge quick legislative action so they can expand virtual learning after COVID-19.
"More than 40 district leaders -- including those from Dallas, Fort Worth and Frisco -- signed a letter sent to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the Senate Education Committee saying they need a framework for online school soon as they are finalizing plans for next school year."
ECONOMIC RECOVERY
School Closures and Employment Changes: State level employment changes between Dec '20 and Mar '21 strongly predicted by changes in school reopenings; with or without controls for bars/restaurant re-openings, COVID cases.
LEARNING PODS
Parents Eye Another Option for Fall: Hybrid Homeschooling: Via the Christian Science Monitor.
RESOURCES
How Districts Planned for Pandemic Learning: Equity-Driven Practices and Lessons Learned from 2020 Learning Continuity and Attendance Plans
Under Pressure: Shared this in the update exactly one year ago today but worth resharing: Jimmy Fallon, Brendon Urie & The Roots Remix "Under Pressure"