Social distancing - COVID-19 spread, large vs. small gatherings, re-openings

[Mary Wilson]

More Than 40 School Principals Told to Quarantine After COVID-19 Exposure

By Laura Sambol• Published July 1, 2020• Updated on July 2, 2020 at 11:51 am

More than 40 school principals in the South Bay were told to quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19 two weeks ago.

The exposure happened at an in-person meeting called by the Santa Clara Unified School District. An attendee who didn't have any symptoms at the meeting testing positive for the virus just days later.

Now many are asking why the district would have even called an in-person meeting at all.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loc...-quarantined-after-covid-19-exposure/2319031/

 

[Mary Wilson]

We can reopen schools in the fall — if we close bars and gyms now

By
Helen Jenkins and
William Hanage
July 1, 2020 at 6:00 a.m. CDT

Schools are not a luxury item — they are part of the bedrock of society. They not only educate children, they also feed many of them. They provide a safer environment than home for some kids, and they are a beating heart in many communities. Long school closures during the novel coronavirus pandemic have exacerbated existing inequalities...

If we want schools to open in a few months and stay open, we need to keep community transmission low. The best way to do that is to suppress the spread of the virus. That means looking at what is reopening and when, and figuring out whether those sectors of the economy are really more important than schools. All reopening will likely increase community transmission to some degree.

So what are we all willing to give up to keep in-person education on the agenda?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/07/01/reopen-schools-close-bars/

 

[Mary Wilson]

Sports can’t restart safely right now

There are ways to make sure athletes and staff are protected. They aren’t in place right now.

By Abraar Karan and Ranu Dhillon
July 3, 2020 at 5:00 a.m. CDT

Just weeks after returning to practice, sports leagues ranging from college football to professional hockey have suspended operations as several athletes and team personnel tested positive for the coronavirus. Twenty-three players and five staff members from the Clemson football program this past week were found to be infected, as were 13 football players at the University of Texas. Major League Baseball also suspended spring training after 40 players tested positive. The problem has not been for team sports alone; tennis star Novak Djokovic tested positive after organizing a charity tournament. And 16 NBA players have tested positive out of 302 tested just a few days ago. These examples show that sports risk being shut down again — with the cost being the health of prized athletes.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlo...d-coronavirus/