You hear politicians say over and over that children aren't susceptible to the coronavirus as a reason to reopen schools. Let's forget this discounts that children live with and learn from adults, but let's not forget these two things. Children have not been exposed to the virus, like adults, have, they didn't go to mass gatherings like bars and parties or even schools because we wanted to protect them. There is that that and plenty of anecdotal evidence that the politicians are wrong.
Think about it. When the virus hit, we quarantined our children, we didn't want to expose them. We kept them away from mass gatherings. Then as the country opened up a lot of things that children might typically go to like sporting events, and the movies were canceled, significantly limiting their possibility for exposure.
Well, as summer hit, children have had a lot more opportunities to be around the virus, and a lot more got sick.
From the Macon Telegraph,
A pair of YMCA camps in Georgia closed down in late June after a counselor tested positive for the coronavirus, but in the days since they were shut, the number of confirmed infections has climbed into the dozens, media outlets report.
YMCA called the summer season off early for High Harbour Camp locations at Lake Burton and Lake Allatoona, but at least 30 or more camp attendees have, or have had, the virus, outlets have reported.
But as of Friday, officials said the true number is much higher -- at least 85 kids and counselors have tested positive -- all stemming from their time at Lake Burton, Georgia Department of Public Health officials told McClatchy News.
https://www.macon.com/news/coronavirus/article244158667.html
You might be thinking well the counselors were adults, but the article said they were between the age of 16 and 22.
This isn't isolated either, he is a piece about summer camps in Missouri and Arkansaw,
From CNN,
Think about it. When the virus hit, we quarantined our children, we didn't want to expose them. We kept them away from mass gatherings. Then as the country opened up a lot of things that children might typically go to like sporting events, and the movies were canceled, significantly limiting their possibility for exposure.
Well, as summer hit, children have had a lot more opportunities to be around the virus, and a lot more got sick.
From the Macon Telegraph,
A pair of YMCA camps in Georgia closed down in late June after a counselor tested positive for the coronavirus, but in the days since they were shut, the number of confirmed infections has climbed into the dozens, media outlets report.
YMCA called the summer season off early for High Harbour Camp locations at Lake Burton and Lake Allatoona, but at least 30 or more camp attendees have, or have had, the virus, outlets have reported.
But as of Friday, officials said the true number is much higher -- at least 85 kids and counselors have tested positive -- all stemming from their time at Lake Burton, Georgia Department of Public Health officials told McClatchy News.
https://www.macon.com/news/coronavirus/article244158667.html
You might be thinking well the counselors were adults, but the article said they were between the age of 16 and 22.
This isn't isolated either, he is a piece about summer camps in Missouri and Arkansaw,
From CNN,
A summer camp in Arkansas and another in Missouri have closed down after campers and staff tested positive for Covid-19.
At the Kanakuk K-2 Camp in Lampe, Missouri, 82 campers, counselors and staff tested positive for Covid-19, according to a Facebook post by the Stone County Health Department.
Meanwhile, in Mount Ida, Arkansas, Camp Ozark has temporarily shuttered its doors, according to Dr. Nate Smith, Arkansas cabinet secretary for the Department of Health.
"Camp Ozark shared the information that they had on out-of-state campers and a counselor. They took action. They initially sent campers home and some counselors home, and then, as they had additional cases, they made the decision on their own to go ahead and close down for now," Smith said on Wednesday. He did not disclose how many people tested positive.
There are numerous other examples, but let's look at a school system. The president mentioned a few European countries that reopened their schools, but unlike us, they have the coronavirus under control; Israel did not.
From the Jeurasulm Post,
Despite the desire for a full return to routine in the fall, as schools closed this week and summer camps opened, the Education Ministry disseminated to administrators the first part of a coronavirus strategic plan for the upcoming school year.
“The analysis of the present-day reality requires us to prepare for a school year in the shadow of coronavirus,” wrote former Education Ministry director-general Shmuel Abuhav, who prepared the report as he was preparing to step down from his role.
The plan requires schools to prepare for three scenarios: a full closure – closing all schools or a single school due to infection; an integrated model – combining distance and frontal learning, and a “coronavirus routine” – operating schools under the full list of Health Ministry directives.
“The system experienced all these scenarios in the past year,” wrote Abuhav. “We’ve been down this path, and now we have to learn, improve, and plan based on that experience… We are aware of the time constraints.”
More from Reuters,
After largely containing the coronavirus in May and reopening schools, beaches and businesses, Israel has been hit by a sharp rise in infections.
Epidemiologist Hagai Levine said Israel did not prepare well for the day after lockdown.
“Israel’s experience should be a lesson to all countries: You cannot move from one extreme to another, from total lockdown to a quick, sweeping removal of restrictions without proper planning,” the professor at the Hebrew University-Hadasdah School of Public Health said.
Wow, that sounds familiar.
Then if you aren't convinced, what about this.
From WTXL.com
11,000 infected and 18 dead
Then if you aren't convinced, what about this.
From WTXL.com
As the Florida Department of Education mandates that public K-12 schools must open in August, thousands of children in Florida are continuing to test positive for COVID-19.
According to the Florida Department of Health's latest data, more than 11,000 children under 18 have tested positive for coronavirus since the pandemic began in March.
I am not a doctor, but I read, and I have been reading a lot recently a whole lot, and it seems to me with the pandemic raging out of control in most of the country now is not the time to roll the dice and risk lives.
Friends the bottom line is it is not a matter of if but when and how many people get sick and schools will close. Everyone knows that, so the question becomes, why would we risk anyone's lives.
Friends the bottom line is it is not a matter of if but when and how many people get sick and schools will close. Everyone knows that, so the question becomes, why would we risk anyone's lives.
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