She wants to see our children back in school. But Mia Mason not only recognizes the importance of learning in person and participating in after-school programs, she also recognizes that deciding whether or not to open our schools is not as simple as one side wanting kids back in school and the other side not.
We all want our schools to open, but U.S. Representative for Maryland’s 1st congressional district Andy Harris is questioning our “cult” of masks and suggesting that children of school age “do not efficiently transmit the virus to their peers or adults.”
That’s an unsettled issue. In Germany the transmission rate seems to be similar in children and adults. A study in Korea found that children under age 10 may have a slightly lower rate of transmission, but outbreaks have been linked to school closings. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, has summarized, “There will be transmission. What we have to do is accept that now and include that in our plans.”
A study conducted at Children’s Hospital of Chicago has also found that young children can carry up to 100 times more coronavirus than adults. They may not become as ill, or transmit as easily, but they can and do spread the virus.
Our president is tweeting,”SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS.” Andy Harris, to his credit, has admitted that we may have to execute “a coordinated plan that has never been undertaken before” in order to reopen our schools, but he offers little leadership as to how we might proceed.
Schools will not open in Los Angeles until testing is available for all students and employees on a regular basis. But the CARES Act has expired and not yet been replaced (as of Aug. 2), and President Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding for schools refusing to open.
A nation that leads the world in Covid-19 deaths would ideally not politicize the measures required to combat such a scourge. We not only lead the world in Covid-19 deaths, we are barred from travel to other nations.
And our president is reassuring us, “We’re so advanced in what we’re doing.” But with just 4 percent of the world’s population, we have 20 percent of its coronavirus deaths. Our nation of 330 million has suffered 156,000 deaths. Canadians are dying, too, but at half our rate.
With half measures being taken half-heartedly, no-maskers responding aggressively, and our levels of infection increasing, our Representative Andy Harris is assuring us, “Science says it is time to open our local schools.”
A panel of scientists and educators has recommended, ”Whenever possible, younger children and those with special needs should attend school in person.” The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine is less prescriptive concerning the decision to reopen, but has offered guidelines in addition to those recommended by our Center for Disease Control. They include not only distancing and masking, but replacing and expanding facilities and upgrading air conditioning and ventilation systems in more than half of our nation’s schools.
Our president finds CDC guidelines “tough and expensive,” but getting this virus under control must be our priority. Our future and that of our children and our nation depends upon it. We have lost ground in large part due to lack of leadership. And at this point and with education as a priority, acknowledging and following science is our best path forward.
As Mia has concluded, ”Our schools should open, but sadly cannot.” This will be our reality until our pandemic can be slowed and efforts to reopen our schools safely are planned and funded.
Mia Mason not only recognizes and embraces science, she has served our nation well and has our best interests at heart.
Carol Voyles
Easton
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