[JustAnotherFan]

As I posted in another thread, schools being open is not the problem. It's that they are opening without adequate NPIs.  Namely, this means ventilation and air filtration, mask wearing, and class size limits.

A more helpful story would say opening schools without adequate mitigation measures is going to be disastrous, but if they are in place, schools can open with manageable impact.  Then, it should talk about the need to invest money in retrofitting HVAC systems if schools are to open. Parents will bellyache about not having kids in school, but they must understand how only better HVAC systems can make opening pragmatic.  Perhaps municipalities can issue "Covid bonds" to raise the money for these retrofits?

We effectively have a war going on with a virus and we must ramp up production of whatever it takes to defeat it.  I see way, way too much surrender on all sides right now. Some want to just throw up their hands and hide in a bunker. Some don't want to do anything different and let the virus overrun them.  In a war, you must gain territory. Sitting idle or going out unarmed will make you no progress or kill you.

And until they are able to do all the things you suggest, they could simply take learning outdoors. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/17/nyreg...doors.html

I can't read the article, but how does outdoors work when it is 30 degrees outside?

There's no such thing as bad weather. Only bad clothing choices.

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61,000 children (actually probably a lot more because kids are frequently asymptomatic) is not a problem.  There have been 80 total deaths from COVID-19 in kids under 14, compared to 19,000+ deaths from all causes in that age group, and something like 600 pediatric deaths from influenza each year:

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid.../index.htm

It's not about how many kids die. It's about how they infect other students, teachers, and staff, who then take the disease home and spread it to the community.

[JustAnotherFan]

As I posted in another thread, schools being open is not the problem. It's that they are opening without adequate NPIs.  Namely, this means ventilation and air filtration, mask wearing, and class size limits.

A more helpful story would say opening schools without adequate mitigation measures is going to be disastrous, but if they are in place, schools can open with manageable impact.  Then, it should talk about the need to invest money in retrofitting HVAC systems if schools are to open. Parents will bellyache about not having kids in school, but they must understand how only better HVAC systems can make opening pragmatic.  Perhaps municipalities can issue "Covid bonds" to raise the money for these retrofits?

We effectively have a war going on with a virus and we must ramp up production of whatever it takes to defeat it.  I see way, way too much surrender on all sides right now. Some want to just throw up their hands and hide in a bunker. Some don't want to do anything different and let the virus overrun them.  In a war, you must gain territory. Sitting idle or going out unarmed will make you no progress or kill you.

And until they are able to do all the things you suggest, they could simply take learning outdoors. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/17/nyreg...doors.html

I can't read the article, but how does outdoors work when it is 30 degrees outside?

There's no such thing as bad weather. Only bad clothing choices.

---

61,000 children (actually probably a lot more because kids are frequently asymptomatic) is not a problem.  There have been 80 total deaths from COVID-19 in kids under 14, compared to 19,000+ deaths from all causes in that age group, and something like 600 pediatric deaths from influenza each year:

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid.../index.htm

It's not about how many kids die. It's about how they infect other students, teachers, and staff, who then take the disease home and spread it to the community.