[teejers1]

It would have been nice if we stayed closed a little longer and if everyone wore masks when they became available.  Hard to argue that we’d be in better shape than we are now.   Seems that a lot of folks who want schools open weren’t willing to help get us to the point where it would be safe®.

What do you even mean by that?
Whenever school kids come back, there is going to be increased risk for the adults, right?

So what, exactly, would have been sufficiently "better shape" for you to think: okay, schools can re-open now?  [If it's "sufficient trace and track to limit spread" - well, good luck on that ever happening].  

That's why I keep reverting to hospital capacity as driver.  THAT is objective data, which you hopefully can tie policy to.  The goal is to have sufficient hospital attention for those who need it.  People who get the virus and are asymptomatic and self-quarantine; or those who have symptoms but can convalesce at home . . . that's not destructive to society.  To the contrary, some might argue that this helps with herd immunity (which may be our ultimate resort if no vaccine secured).  Yeah, yeah, I know, immunity isn't certain, etc., etc.  But that still leads back to hospital capacity as driver.

If you believe it is not safe for teachers to return to school (and it may not be in some/most communities or schools - but watch, private schools will re-open in greater percentages than will publics), the question is when will it ever become safe enough in your view of the world?

P.S.  I'm wondering when we start seeing pushback from those locked in at LTCFs (and their families who don't want them to die alone).  That is a real problem, imo, but one that gets very little attention.

[teejers1]

It would have been nice if we stayed closed a little longer and if everyone wore masks when they became available.  Hard to argue that we’d be in better shape than we are now.   Seems that a lot of folks who want schools open weren’t willing to help get us to the point where it would be safe®.

What do you even mean by that?
Whenever school kids come back, there is going to be increased risk for the adults, right?

So what, exactly, would have been sufficiently "better shape" for you to think: okay, schools can re-open now?  [If it's "sufficient trace and track to limit spread" - well, good luck on that ever happening].  

That's why I keep reverting to hospital capacity as driver.  THAT is objective data, which you hopefully can tie policy to.  The goal is to have sufficient hospital attention for those who need it.  People who get the virus and are asymptomatic and self-quarantine; or those who have symptoms but can convalesce at home . . . that's not destructive to society.  To the contrary, some might argue that this helps with herd immunity (which may be our ultimate resort if no vaccine secured).  Yeah, yeah, I know, immunity isn't certain, etc., etc.  But that still leads back to hospital capacity as driver.

If you believe it is not safe for teachers to return to school (and it may not be in some/most communities or schools - but watch, private schools will re-open in greater percentages than will publics), the question is when will it ever become safe enough in your view of the world?

P.S.  I'm wondering when we start seeing pushback from those locked in at LTCFs (and their families who don't want them to die alone).  That is a real problem, imo, but one that gets very little attention.