Many parents in AB are facing a tough question - online or in-person school? Here are No-Spin balanced points to consider, and data on actual cases for kids in AB over past 4 months to help parents make informed decisions for their families. 🧵
Parents know that the govt isn't reporting outbreaks in schools, transmission is off the charts, and the odds are almost guaranteed that their younglings will be exposed to COVID every class right now.
Since kids 0-5 are ineligible, 5-11 are almost all unvaxxed (with 1 shot at best), and even teens have almost no transmission protection (3 shots needed), what is safest for them? What if it might cost their parents jobs to keep them at home, or if they need socialization?
In practical terms, the way things are going in AB, with most schools having imperfect masking (without respirators anyways), no contact tracing, poor air quality and indoor meals, you should expect your in-person schoolkid to get COVID. Even if they already had it before!
How to balance the risks? Well, consider this:
1) 7-15% of kids get Long-COVID MIS-C and/or other serious long-term complications.
2) Omicron is affecting younglings disproportionately hard, compared to previous waves. It appears to be getting worse for the little ones.
1) 7-15% of kids get Long-COVID MIS-C and/or other serious long-term complications.
2) Omicron is affecting younglings disproportionately hard, compared to previous waves. It appears to be getting worse for the little ones.
3) Rising mental health problems for kids are real right now, but some studies don't differentiate problems due to online learning vs being in a pandemic, or being scared of illness at school.
4) The claim that school transmission is trivial is unsupported by data and illogical.
4) The claim that school transmission is trivial is unsupported by data and illogical.
5) Some families are at higher risk. Maybe your child has a pre-existing condition, or you have a larger or multi-generation household. Maybe nutrition has been a problem, or other factors could lead to worse outcomes. Maybe you are not vaxxed either.
On the other hand:
1) Actually losing your job or home in order to stay with your kids can cause real stress for them too.
2) Schools offer other supports, food programs, monitoring at-risk kids, counselling, etc.
3) Access issues like no internet can be a barrier.
1) Actually losing your job or home in order to stay with your kids can cause real stress for them too.
2) Schools offer other supports, food programs, monitoring at-risk kids, counselling, etc.
3) Access issues like no internet can be a barrier.
You know your own situation. What you might not know are the numbers on COVID in kids in AB. They aren't spelled out terribly clearly online, This lumps kids age 0-11 together. (Teens have more severe outcomes overall than kiddies, but reports put ages 12-29 in one group.)
Over past 120 days: AB age 0-11 (ICU # for all kids)
(By presence of pre-existing condition)
caseshospital ICU death
w/ condition 2175 432
no condition 19808 170351
alberta.ca/stats/covid-19…
(By presence of pre-existing condition)
caseshospital ICU death
w/ condition 2175 432
no condition 19808 170351
alberta.ca/stats/covid-19…
So what else can be done to protect kids?
1) Mask up in public, 100% of the time. If no N95 KN95 available, consider using the surgical masks provided to schools with a mask brace: fixthemask.com
1) Mask up in public, 100% of the time. If no N95 KN95 available, consider using the surgical masks provided to schools with a mask brace: fixthemask.com
Open windows, turn on your furnace fan, build a DIY air purifier. Push REALLY HARD on your schools to do the same.
Vaccinate yourself and kids if you can.
Stay home when even a little sick. Let your teacher know directly AND your school office directly, plus close contacts.
Vaccinate yourself and kids if you can.
Stay home when even a little sick. Let your teacher know directly AND your school office directly, plus close contacts.
Avoid being indoors in public for other activities. Small cohorts for playgroups, preferably outside. Or just take a break from them for about a month.
Do not sing, shout, play in band indoors beyond your household. They generate even more aerosols than usual talking.
Do not sing, shout, play in band indoors beyond your household. They generate even more aerosols than usual talking.
Talk to your school about supports for your specific needs. Do you want to stay home, but need the lunch program, or some other help? Let them know, and maybe a solution can be found that gives you the best of both options.
Try a compromise schedule. Is there another household with kids that would share "school time" duties during the day? Could you schedule it like you would a carpool? Having a couple extra kids together at 2 homes is much safer than 30 or 300 at a poorly ventilated school.
Best wishes to all the families having to balance these vital priorities right now. I know it isn't simple, and all the choices have downsides.
@threadreaderapp unroll please
Layout was unreadable, so the # again:
Over past 120 days: AB age 0-11
Cases w/ condition: 2175
Cases no condition: 19808
Hospital w/ condition: 43
Hospital no condition: 170
ICU (all): 35
Death w/ condition: 2
Death no condition: 1
alberta.ca/stats/covid-19…
Over past 120 days: AB age 0-11
Cases w/ condition: 2175
Cases no condition: 19808
Hospital w/ condition: 43
Hospital no condition: 170
ICU (all): 35
Death w/ condition: 2
Death no condition: 1
alberta.ca/stats/covid-19…
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