Top Three
It's Finally Infrastructure Week: The House passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill just before midnight on Friday. The President is expected to sign it later this week.
6 Democrats voted against it which meant it took several Republican votes to secure final passage.
White House Fact Sheet and a more detailed microsite.
Among the provisions are $65 billion for broadband infrastructure. Three programs important for those working in education:
$42 billion provided to all states through a formula to build out broadband infrastructure in areas with little access or high cost. States are encouraged to use these funds to connect community anchor institutions which includes schools, hospitals, public housing, and institutions of higher education.
$14.2 billion is given to the FCC for an Affordable Connectivity Fund (formerly known as the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program). These funds will provide low-income households with $30 per month to cover home Internet access.
$2.75 billion is available for two grant programs that will promote digital equity:
The State Digital Equity State Capacity Program, a five-year, $300 million per year program for grants to states to fund the creation and implementation of comprehensive digital equity plans in each state. Funds are allocated among states by a formula.
The Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program, a five-year, $250 million per year competitive grant program to support digital equity projects. Those eligible to apply for grants include state agencies; local governments; tribes; Alaska Native entities; Native Hawaiian organizations; nonprofit foundations, corporations, organizations and associations; community anchor institutions; schools; and entities carrying out workforce development programs.
COVID-19 Misinformation is Ubiquitous: Via KFF
78% of U.S. adults either believe or aren’t sure about at least one of eight false statements about the COVID-19 pandemic or COVID-19 vaccines, with unvaccinated adults and Republicans among those most likely to hold misconceptions.
60% say they’ve heard that the government is exaggerating the number of COVID-19 deaths by counting deaths due to other factors and either believe it to be true (38%) or aren’t sure if it is true or false (22%).
39% say they’ve heard pregnant women should not get the COVID-19 vaccine and believe it to be true (17%) or aren’t sure (22%).
31% say they’ve heard that the vaccine has been shown to cause infertility and either believe it (8%) or aren’t sure if it’s true (23%)
"Larger shares of those who trust COVID-19 information from leading conservative news sources believe misinformation, with nearly 4 in 10 of those who trust Fox News (36%) and One America News (37%), and nearly half (46%) of those who trust Newsmax, saying they believe or are unsure about at least half of the eight false statements."
The Childhood Vaccine Debate Ignores a Crucial Point: Kids Aren't Supposed to Die: OpEd in Time by Dr. Jeff Vergales and Dr. Monica Gandhi:
"Yet, the argument that kids are, for the most part, unaffected medically by COVID-19 ignores a simple, yet essential, premise. Children are not supposed to die."
"To put this in perspective, COVID would currently rank 6th in the list of reasons that children die every year in the United States. Trauma (including motor vehicle accidents, drownings, firearm incidents, suffocation and other injuries) dominate the majority of childhood death and drives advancement of seatbelt laws, car seat laws, firearm laws, and swimming pool laws to reduce this number."
"Yet, none of these conditions have a preventative strategy as profoundly effective as immunity to COVID-19. We vaccinate children to prevent severe illness and death, not to prevent mild disease. It is the same reason that pediatricians emphasize influenza vaccination—not to prevent all kids from getting the flu—but to protect children who should not be hospitalized and die."
"Most American parents have never been in a serious car accident, yet they don’t think twice about insisting their children ride in car seats and use seat belts. Why is this? The rate of fatal car crashes as a factor of how often we drive is thankfully low—and similar to fatal rates from COVID. Yet, if a car crash were to occur, the seatbelt may be the only true protection from harm. Simply put, kids buckle up to ensure if on the rare chance a serious car accident occurs, it will have a low likelihood of leading to death."
Federal
First Lady Jill Biden and the Surgeon General Promote COVID Vaccines in Schools: Via the NYT
"The trip to Franklin Sherman Elementary School in the Washington suburb of McLean, Va., was the kickoff of what the Biden administration said would be a nationwide push to persuade parents and guardians to vaccinate children ages 5 to 11."
"At the same time, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona are sending a letter to school districts across the country calling on them to organize vaccine clinics for their newly eligible students."
US Reopens Its Borders for the First Time in Two Years: America had barred air travelers from 33 countries — including China, India and much of Europe — and had also restricted overland entry from Mexico and Canada.
"To enter the U.S., foreign nationals must be fully vaccinated against Covid, though exceptions will be made for children under 18 and people who are medically unable to be vaccinated. Travelers over the age of 2 must also show a negative Covid test taken within the past three days."
Vaccine Mandate: A federal court in Louisiana has blocked the Biden administration’s newly issued emergency mandate that employers with more than 100 employers require vaccination or offer a testing program.
DOL secretary says most truck drivers are exempt from the mandate.
“The White House on Monday said businesses should move forward with President Joe Biden’s vaccine and testing requirements for private businesses, despite a federal appeals court ordering a temporary halt to the rules,” CNBC reports.
Secretary Cardona and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy: USA Today oped: As we recover from the pandemic, we must focus on our children.
COVID-19 Research
430.9 Million: The number of doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in the US.
Kids and Masks: We know the upsides of masks. Emily Oster explores the downsides.
Boosters: Pfizer is expected to seek authorization for coronavirus booster for anyone 18 and older.
"The request, which may be filed as soon as this week, is likely to win the backing of the Food and Drug Administration, said the individuals, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue."
"Authorizing boosters for all adults would be an explicit recognition of what is already occurring: People are getting access to the shots by saying they are in one of the recommended categories; pharmacies are using the honor system. Some experts say it’s time to get rid of complicated rules that require people to pretend that they are immunocompromised or work in a hospital."
"If the agency authorizes the booster for all adults, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky would have to make updated recommendations for how to use the shot. It is not clear whether she would consult with outside experts on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices."
"Wilbur Chen, a member of the CDC immunization advisory committee who earlier opposed a broad approach to boosters, said new data means “it’s very fair game for us to revisit this question.”
A Retrospective Cohort Study of COVID-19 among Children in Fulton County: New study which found low COVID-19 testing rates among children, especially early in the pandemic, likely underestimate the true burden of disease.
"Less than half (43.2%) of children exhibited COVID-19 symptoms before the diagnosis. The most common symptoms across all ages were cough (17.2%) and fever (16.1%)."
The Challenges of Fixing the CDC: Via Stat
"It’s been disappointing: A lot more was expected in terms of centralizing messaging and policies, and turning things over to government agencies and the leaders of those agencies,” said Glen Nowak, a University of Georgia professor who spent 14 years at the CDC, including six as its head of media relations."
"At one point, Walensky drew criticism for stating, unequivocally, that “vaccinated people cannot transmit the virus” — an assertion that turned out to be incorrect."
"The agency drew criticism, too, for its 180-degree turn on mask guidance in May, when it essentially declared that all vaccinated Americans could remove their masks indoors. In hindsight, many epidemiologists blame the summer’s devastating Delta variant surge, and the ensuing wave of deaths, on the CDC’s mask-guidance reversal."
"But last February, hours after Walensky suggested during a press briefing that schools could safely reopen before all teachers were vaccinated, Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, dismissed the remarks, arguing that she had spoken “in her personal capacity.”
The Broken Data Systems That Struggled During the Pandemic Can Be Fixed: OpEd by Ali Khan, dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and William Kassler, Palantir’s chief medical officer.
"Data are still largely locked into the government’s outdated legacy tech systems that can’t communicate with one another, and bureaucracies are too busy putting out fires to collaborate — both the result of underfunded public health. The U.S. still had to rely on international data to make decisions on vaccine boosters, despite administering more vaccine doses domestically, because we couldn’t link and analyze our own data."
"Temporary funding made available during the pandemic should be replaced with $500 million in annual funding. The proposed federal Health Statistics Act would also help by codifying the need for data standards, easier sharing, use of electronic medical record data for surveys and disease monitoring, and requirements for governance to ensure the necessary partnerships. This would make data more apolitical and less subject to manipulation and misinformation."
COVID-Vaccine Mandates for Kids Are Coming: Via The Atlantic.
"To sum up the benefits: The kid-size COVID vaccine fights a disease that is about as dangerous as others for which schools regularly require vaccination, and, at least for now, it appears to be about as effective as these other vaccines, while the disease it prevents appears to be slightly less transmissible."
Vaccines For Kids: From Polio To COVID, Children Have Been Brave: Via USA Today.
Big Bird: Was vaccinated over the weekend.
Big Bird was also vaccinated back in 1972.
Covid Deaths Get Even Redder: Via NYT
State
Arizona: A for Arizona announces Arizona Transportation Modernization Grant awardees.
Description of 24 grantees. Some really creative proposals using technology for route optimization, expanding fleets of vehicles, a SAFE (Sharing with All Families access to Education) Driver App, and a micro-transit van program.
California: State schools chief apologizes to private, parochial school leaders for mishandling federal Covid aid.
Georgia: GaDOE launches effort to locate and support up to 50,000 rural students who have disengaged from school during pandemic.
Illinois: Chicago kids seal COVID experiences in Time Capsules.
New York:
Incoming NYC Mayor Adam said during a CNN appearance, "If we can find a safe way to do it, I look forward to getting rid of the masks, but it must be done with the science."
The state has launched a new website to help provide information on COVID-19 vaccinations for kids.
Tennessee: Three school districts receive $4.6 million federal mental health grant.
West Virginia: Gov. Justice announces $150 school supplies voucher now available for vaccinated children ages 5-11.
International
Costa Rica: Issues COVID-19 vaccine requirement for children.
Economic Recovery
Brookings and Ashoka Collaborative Innovation Challenge: Valuing Homes in Black Communities.
Resources
Office-Based Mental Healthcare and Juvenile Arrests: NBER paper which found that ten additional office-based mental healthcare providers in a county leads a decrease of 2.3% to 2.6% in the per capita costs to society of juvenile arrest.
Outschool Opportunity: Outschool's nonprofit affiliate is currently seeking applications for its Community Partners grant.
The grant provides free Outschool classes and support to schools, districts, nonprofits and homeschooling co-ops whose students are at least 75% of color or low-income.
Previous grantees have included The Oakland Reach, Charleston Unified School District, and a liberated schools model across Boston Public Schools.
How Reopening Decisions Affected Public School Disenrollment: Via Fordham
Some Districts Plan for Full-time Virtual Schools to Outlast the Pandemic: Via Washington Post and Hechinger
"...the district found something surprising. For some families, virtual learning was still an absolute hit. Parents like Woodward noticed their children worked better away from the distractions and social pressures of in-person school, while others enjoyed being able to see their children’s classes. Starting this school year, the district decided to open a full-time virtual school."
"This will be the new normal,” said J.R. Green, superintendent of the Fairfield County schools. Fairfield County is far from the only school district where parents have asked for more full-time virtual options."
“We need to pull the quality up in virtual schools,” said Heather Schwartz, an author of the Rand surveys, “so that we don’t have yet another form of splintering, fragmenting public school offerings, where we have a lower-quality track in the form of virtual schools relative to in-person schools.”
"Fairfield County is trying to ensure that its virtual program keeps the same quality standards as its in-person schools by making sure that, for the most part, students will continue to follow a normal bell schedule and regularly interact with their teachers. There are live classes taught throughout most of the day, every day of the school week except Thursday."
50th New York City Marathon: Was held this weekend. Among the runners: a duck.
I haven't checked the eligibility rules but it seems like a clear fowl.
And I loved this: man falls 650 feet from finish line, carried across by other runners.