The scientific evidence of multiple studies shows that students can be infected and infect others, and that outbreaks occur in schools.
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Because students are often asymptomatic (or particularly for young children perhaps are not reporting mild symptoms) standard testing protocols often miss their illnesses and contribution to transmission.
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Some countries have chosen not to test children, partially due to limited testing availability and prior assumptions that child infections are not important for their health or the outbreak transmission.
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Both of these have confused many other studies and has promoted an incorrect assessment of the involvement of children. Also, it is important to recognize that while students have a lower COVID-19 severe disease and mortality rate, these are not zero.
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The risk of child illnesses remains significant for parents and families affected. The emerging understanding of Long COVID that is known to affect tens of percents of those who are infected, including asymptomatic and mild cases, has not been shown to be age dependent.
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While data on children is just beginning to be collected, this leaves us with expectation children may very well suffer heart, brain, lung and other organ damage for long periods and even lifetimes. There is also severe MIS-C that affects children due to coronavirus infection
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Moreover, the transmission in schools, like other indoor, extended time gatherings, in often poorly ventilated rooms, and the use of shared bathrooms, are precisely the conditions for transmission including superspreader events that have been widely reported upon.
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Finally, it is imperative to recognize the dangers to teachers, parents, grandparents and other family members from the transmission.
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It is unfortunate the government sees these risks as tenable in the face of the potential psychological, social and economic disruption of the society, but does not recognize that their severity will cause tragic losses both now and over time.
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Lancet paper on the effect of School reopening on COVID transmission (25% increase in R)
Science paper on multiple European and other countries
Same result:
"Closing all educational institutions, limiting gatherings to 10 people or less, and closing face-to-face businesses each reduced transmission considerably."
South Africa becomes the 18th country to surpass 1 million total cases. After three months of low case rates between Sept. and Nov., infections are now accelerating.
Canada reported a new high of 10,141 cases yesterday, after two days of low figures due to holidays. 6,793 of the total cases come from Quebec, which is an aggregated number for the past three days.
The UK reports a new high of 41,385 cases. There are 20,426 patients currently hospitalized in the UK.
"A fifth of people still have coronavirus symptoms five weeks after being infected, with half of them continuing to experience problems for at least 12 weeks, official data suggests, as concerns grow about the scale and impact of “long Covid”.
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"The study also reveals those admitted to hospital with Covid have higher risk of..cardiovascular events – such as stroke or heart attack, diabetes, kidney disease and liver disease, than matched controls with similar demographics and pre-existing conditions.
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Through this horrendous year, the one positive has been work with others who anticipate and act, who hear the suffering and cannot stand by. Superheroes, each with their unique strengths.
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Here are some of those I have worked with particularly, many others have been involved
My NECSI student/colleague Chen Shen, from Wuhan, what I would have done without you, I just don’t know. I appreciate both your analysis and nuance of communication.
Alex, Amir, Blake, Leila, Olha, Qinghua, Matthew, Kim, Dan, Kevin, Irv, Rob, Dick, Mehran, Jeff, Thanks!
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Due to the holiday season, reporting in many countries is largely influenced. Global daily increases are about 20% lower than the previous daily averages.
Italy reported the lowest since their recent peak, as the country begins vaccination.
Serbia reported 3,200 cases yesterday and has been decreasing for 3 weeks. The daily average dropped to one half of the peak.
Japan reported a new high for the fourth day in a row of 3,892 new cases. Tokyo and Kanagawa are both on rising rapidly, seeing double the amount of cases they were reporting three weeks ago.
Travel restrictions are important, those countries that stop the new variants from achieving community transmission, or limit their extent, will benefit tremendously.
And if it was worthwhile to stop the current set of variants by travel restrictions a month ago, it is worthwhile to stop the next set that are arising now.
Why do many still adopt a static view?
Today we fight the next battle not the last one.
Choosing inaction today instead of fighting, we loose a round. We are harmed and the virus gains strength. The next round is harder.
Not fighting this round because we can't win the previous round is why we are losing