Top Three
Buried’ CDC Guidance Emphasizes Universal Masking in Schools, Says Properly Protected ‘Close Contacts’ Needn’t Quarantine: Good catch from the folks at The 74
Decision on Vaccine Boosters Draws Blowback: From Stat
"Many flat-out challenged the need for booster doses now, while others questioned the morality of Americans getting third shots when most people on the planet haven’t received one."
"And some worried about a decision made before the FDA or a key vaccine advisory committee had weighed in.”
"Officials said evidence “could” signal a decline in protection against serious disease. "But “could is not a very strong word … especially to make a policy decision on,” Norman Baylor, president and CEO of Biologics Consulting and a former head of the FDA’s Office of Vaccines."
"The decision to boost so early in the country’s use of the vaccines isn’t science-based, in Durbin’s view. “I think there’s this tidal wave building that’s based on anxiety. And I don’t think it’s based on scientific evidence that a booster is needed.”
Axios has more: "But the fact that it could is the Biden administration's main justification for a massive booster campaign — a risk-averse approach that's being criticized as unethical by some experts."
Meeting the President’s Call to Support the Safe and Sustained Reopening of Schools: Blog post by Secretary Cardona
"I am also deeply troubled when I see the opposite: officials that are putting politics ahead of students and blocking their school districts from adopting science-based strategies designed to protect students, aligned with CDC guidance."
"These states are needlessly placing students, families, and educators at risk. Yet in each of these states, there are also educators and others who are taking steps to protect the health and safety of their school communities."
"The Department has the authority to investigate any state educational agency whose policies or actions may infringe on the rights of every student to access public education equally."
"As I wrote in the letters, actions to block school districts from voluntarily adopting science-based strategies for preventing the spread of COVID-19 that are aligned with the guidance from the CDC may infringe upon a school district’s authority to adopt policies to protect students and educators as they develop their safe return to in-person instruction plans required by Federal law."
Federal
CDC: Announces new Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics that will bring together next-generation public health data, expert disease modelers, public health emergency responders, and high-quality communications. Some great folks picked to lead this effort:
Dr. Marc Lipsitch, who will serve as Director for Science
Dr. Dylan George, who will serve as Director for Operations
Dr. Caitlin Rivers, who will serve as Associate Director
Dr. Rebecca Kahn, who will serve as Senior Scientist
Breakthrough Cases in the Senate: Senators Wicker (R-MS), King (I-ME) and Hickenlooper (D-CO) said they had tested positive while being fully vaccinated.
COVID-19 Research
Navigating the Delta Variant and the Future of COVID-19: Great executive briefing from BCG.
Delta Weakens Protection from Pfizer, AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccines: According to a British study
"Found that protection from either of the two most commonly used COVID-19 vaccines against the now prevalent Delta variant of the coronavirus weakens within three months."
"Vaccines are probably best at preventing severe disease and slightly less at preventing transmission,” said co-author Koen Pouwels of Oxford University.
A Shot Against COVID For Kids Under 12 — Your Questions Answered: Via NPR
State-by-State Guide to School Mask Mandates: From Lifehacker.
Forecasting COVID Spread in Schools: A North Carolina State University model found without intervention about 75% of susceptible children could become infected during the first semester."
“The study showing the impact of masks and testing in schools significantly reduced the level of infection from 315 to 105 in elementary schools."
"At the high school level the number of potential cases could decrease to as low as 38 for every 500 students with both safety measures in place."
State
DC: DCPS not considering virtual learning option for the school year
Idaho: The latest results for the Idaho Standards Achievement Test show a small decline in students’ proficiency in English Language Arts and Mathematics since 2019
Illinois: CTU says talks over additional COVID-19 precautions aren’t progressing with return to classrooms just days away
"Sharkey also called into question CPS’ plan to reduce required social distancing guidelines from 6 feet to 3 feet — aligning with federal and state recommendations — to make room for additional returning students.
“Last year we had 6 feet, which was extremely important during meal time, for example, when kids take off their masks,” he said"
Florida: "All South Florida schools now have mandated masks and defied Governor DeSantis."
"After record-shattering daily COVID-19 counts, school boards in Florida’s Hillsborough and Miami-Dade Counties held emergency meetings Wednesday and voted to again require face coverings on campuses.”
Louisiana: More students have COVID in schools than last year.
New York: Lieutenant Gov. Hochul said the state has the authority to mandate masks at schools.
Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State Education Association says the only way to keep schools in-person all year is to require masksPittsburgh Public Schools sets Sept. 3 as the first day for students after a delay due to a shortage of bus drivers.
Texas: The Paris school district found a loophole in Gov. Abbott’s executive order preventing mask mandates. The board of trustees voted to alter the district’s dress code to include masks.
Washington: Announces strictest school vaccine mandate in U.S.
International
Australia: 45% of all active Covid cases in Melbourne are in children and teenagers.
Resources
A National Call For College COVID Safe Zones: An oped in The 74 from Dr. Mark McClellan, a professor and founding director of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University; Andy Slavitt, who was President Joe Biden’s White House senior adviser for COVID response until June; and John Bridgeland co-founder and CEO of the COVID Collaborative, was director of the Bush White House Domestic Policy Council.
"We are asking college leaders to require vaccination. A vaccination requirement is the best way to protect students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community."
"For those colleges and universities that are unable or choose not to require vaccination, we are asking leaders to take every step possible to get as close to 100 percent of their students, faculty, and staff vaccinated early in the academic year."
"Layered mitigation strategies are needed to keep students, faculty, and staff safe as they return to campus. We recommend these concrete steps:"
Screening for Infectiousness.
Tracking Vaccine Status
Encouraging Mask Use
Planning to Pivot.
Inside The Vaccination Fight That’s Dividing Teachers Unions: Via Politico
"Different places have different situations and circumstances,” said Karla Hernandez-Mats, president of the teachers union for Miami-Dade County public schools."
"Just having a vaccine and saying ‘Well we're gonna mandate it for employees’ doesn't go far enough because a lot of other people are in school buildings,” Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey recently told reporters. “Students, especially."
Disconnects in Perceptions of Data Use Threaten Recovery. State Leaders Must Act Now: Poll and report from DQC.
States Act to Support K-12 Computer Science: Update from Code.org.
Microsoft Report Reveals It’s Good To Chat On Video Calls: Research report.
How Has the Pandemic Affected Students with Disabilities?: A review of the evidence to date from CRPE.
Getting Kids Back on Track:News segment on Varsity Tutors and their "bridging the gap" program.
Use of State K12 Assessments as a Tool to Advance Educational Equity: A group of 15 civil rights, business, and education advocacy organizations asked Secretary Cardona to detail the administration’s plans for resuming state assessment and school improvement requirements set by federal law and that were largely paused during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is Morehouse College: Every freshman goes through upperclassmen-led New Student Orientation. "We are leaders. We are Morehouse."