Post by Velar Fricative on Oct 4, 2021 7:53:03 GMT -5
I got kicked out of the unofficial FB parents group for my kids’ school. I consider it a badge of honor since it was because I call out stupid bullshit like one parent blaming other parents for getting their kids tested and disrupting school if they test positive, and another parent insist on continuing to refuse to wear masks on school property despite constant reminders from the school admins.
They all thought today would be full of mass hysteria because today is the day school staff must be vaccinated or go on leave. Sure enough, all the usual crossing guards, staff screening the doors, etc. were all there. I don’t usually see the teachers in the mornings so I’ll hear later if they were there or not. I’m more worried about my 3rd grader’s teacher than my Pre-K kid’s teacher but we will see.
I’ve been wondering if NYC would do ok today with the mandate for school workers going into effect. I’m glad to hear so far so good.
I’m happy to report that the anti-maskers in our district seem ok with the CA vaccine mandates for eligible students. They are still anti-mask, but ok with the vaccine.
Also, the teen didn’t plan on going to the Homecoming dance this weekend, partly because it was his dads weekend and his dad whines when DS wants to spend time with friends on “his weekend”. DS’ bff called him like a dozen times Saturday evening trying to convince him to go. I finally convinced DS to talk to his dad. Surprisingly, his dad said yes and loaned him clothes to wear and drove him there and said he should sleep at my house after because I live by school and he’s half an hour away. DS got there two hours into the dance, but is so happy he went. To make it Covid related, it was all outdoors with a dance area, karaoke, pool tables, air hockey, lawn games like cornhole, photo booths, a video game truck with Just Dance (on screens outside the truck so no cramming kids in a truck), food trucks and a laser light show. I was annoyed that the ticket was $50, but with all that included, seems a little more worth it. And he was nervous going so late, but one of the faculty members at the gate was his favorite counselor, so that made him relax.
ETA: the theme of the dance was “MASK-urade” or something like that to encourage masks even though it was outside and masks aren’t required. I’d say about half the kids I saw leaving when I picked up DS at least had a mask with them in their hand or around their necks or even wearing it properly.
Post by Velar Fricative on Oct 4, 2021 8:15:23 GMT -5
What might have helped with some of the staffing is that DH said one of his unvaccinated co-workers who took monoclonal antibodies in August is able to still work but must get her first dose after that 90 days post-treatment is up. She didn't get confirmation of this until last night. Given how recently she was infected and the fact that it is not recommended to get vaccinated within 90 days of receiving the treatment, I think this is a reasonable decision and wish it didn't take so long for the DOE to make. I mean, I doubt there are tons of staff who were infected AND took monoclonal antibodies within the last 90 days, but it probably does help with staffing. Since you can get vaccinated shortly after being infected per the CDC, exemptions probably aren't being granted for unvaccinated people who didn't have the treatment done though.
Post by Velar Fricative on Oct 4, 2021 8:18:03 GMT -5
formerlyak, people here are like "Look what California is doing, do you think we're next?" and I couldn't help but reply "Duh, of course this is going to happen here too, like for every other vaccine required to attend school."
However, I really really really want flu vaccinations to also be required in schools. Just think of how much of a reduction we could see in illnesses among kids and staff in school. Here it's only required in early childhood centers and daycares, but if we are going to require covid vaccines soon then I want flu vaccines required as well.
formerlyak, people here are like "Look what California is doing, do you think we're next?" and I couldn't help but reply "Duh, of course this is going to happen here too, like for every other vaccine required to attend school."
However, I really really really want flu vaccinations to also be required in schools. Just think of how much of a reduction we could see in illnesses among kids and staff in school. Here it's only required in early childhood centers and daycares, but if we are going to require covid vaccines soon then I want flu vaccines required as well.
I feel like every year a handful of charters close down for 2 weeks because 25%+ of the school is out with influenza. A mandate for influenza would help that immensely. Logistically, health departments should go into the schools to vaccinate children and staff.
I got kicked out of the unofficial FB parents group for my kids’ school. I consider it a badge of honor since it was because I call out stupid bullshit like one parent blaming other parents for getting their kids tested and disrupting school if they test positive, and another parent insist on continuing to refuse to wear masks on school property despite constant reminders from the school admins.
They all thought today would be full of mass hysteria because today is the day school staff must be vaccinated or go on leave. Sure enough, all the usual crossing guards, staff screening the doors, etc. were all there. I don’t usually see the teachers in the mornings so I’ll hear later if they were there or not. I’m more worried about my 3rd grader’s teacher than my Pre-K kid’s teacher but we will see.
Oh, I got kicked out of mine too (this was before we pulled our kid out of the district. My transgression was stating, "I will happily stand by the claim that the CDC, FDA, AAP and WHO are all more qualified to make claims about mask efficacy than someone whose only stated qualification is, 'I am a grandma." Apparently it wasn't what I said but the snarky way I said it at the school board meeting.
Post by sillygoosegirl on Oct 4, 2021 10:48:30 GMT -5
Finally found out what's up with our district dashboard. Apparently someone was inappropriately marking every absence as a confirmed or presumptive case. There have been 2 cases at our neighborhood elementary school, not 40, and they are identifying and quarantining close contacts (it looked like they weren't on the dashboard, as the quarantined kids were shown as cases). My kid is homeschooled, but I feel a lot better about letting her play outside with her best friend now, and Halloween is under consideration again.
Finally found out what's up with our district dashboard. Apparently someone was inappropriately marking every absence as a confirmed or presumptive case. There have been 2 cases at our neighborhood elementary school, not 40, and they are identifying and quarantining close contacts (it looked like they weren't on the dashboard, as the quarantined kids were shown as cases). My kid is homeschooled, but I feel a lot better about letting her play outside with her best friend now, and Halloween is under consideration again.
OMG. That is awful and hilarious all at once. I'm glad they fixed that.
At my son’s baseball tournament this weekend (15 year old kids), parents were absolutely bashing Newsom’s vaccine mandate (I’m in California). All I could think was, my vaccinated son got to practice while their’s had to quarantine because of close exposure. I don’t understand this thinking at all.
Over the weekend my mom was telling me about her anti-vaxxer, anti-masker coworkers. (They work in healthcare, too btw) One woman is saying she is going to homeschool their kids so they don't have to wear masks. The sad part is the son is pleading to stay in school because he likes it and wants to be with his friends. I just don't get these "adults" carrying on with this charade and for what? So much damage has been done.
Post by sillygoosegirl on Oct 4, 2021 11:27:39 GMT -5
I'm having some feelings about Fouci saying it still may not be safe to travel for winter holidays... you know, once my family is going to *finally* all be vaccinated (probably).
I'm having some feelings about Fouci saying it still may not be safe to travel for winter holidays... you know, once my family is going to *finally* all be vaccinated (probably).
I'm in no way a public health expert but I think this is absolutely terrible messaging. I was really stunned by this.
I'm having some feelings about Fouci saying it still may not be safe to travel for winter holidays... you know, once my family is going to *finally* all be vaccinated (probably).
Meh. I honestly don't care what he says. Once we are all vaccinated then I consider my part in this group project to be done. We are seeing family this holiday season. We are traveling. If it isn't safe to travel after that point when it will it be? Honest question. We aren't eradicating Covid.
I'm having some feelings about Fouci saying it still may not be safe to travel for winter holidays... you know, once my family is going to *finally* all be vaccinated (probably).
Meh. I honestly don't care what he says. Once we are all vaccinated then I consider my part in this group project to be done. We are seeing family this holiday season. We are traveling. If it isn't safe to travel after that point when it will it be? Honest question. We aren't eradicating Covid.
I'm going to guess when the hospital and health care systems aren't overwhelmed. The holidays are when a lot of extra germs are spread around. It's not all about covid.
I'm having some feelings about Fouci saying it still may not be safe to travel for winter holidays... you know, once my family is going to *finally* all be vaccinated (probably).
I don't think most kids are going to be fully vaccinated *before* the winter holidays.
FDA approval and CDC recommendations are a almost a month off (FDA 12/26 and CDC 10/28 or 11/1-11/2 if all goes well). Then vaccine roll out, then 3 week waiting time (or whatever they recommend), then second shot. then 2 weeks waiting.
Some lucky kids will hit that by NYE or even Christmas, but no one is there for Thanksgiving or Hannukah.
I'm having some feelings about Fouci saying it still may not be safe to travel for winter holidays... you know, once my family is going to *finally* all be vaccinated (probably).
Meh. I honestly don't care what he says. Once we are all vaccinated then I consider my part in this group project to be done. We are seeing family this holiday season. We are traveling. If it isn't safe to travel after that point when it will it be? Honest question. We aren't eradicating Covid.
Well, if Pfizer is approved on Nov 1, no kids under 12 will be fully vaxxed by Thanksgiving (2nd shot would be Nov 22, two weeks after that is Dec 6). And it's highly doubtful that kids under 5 will be fully vaxxed before Christmas.
I'm also curious what he said, though. A google search is turning up statements from 2020.
Meh. I honestly don't care what he says. Once we are all vaccinated then I consider my part in this group project to be done. We are seeing family this holiday season. We are traveling. If it isn't safe to travel after that point when it will it be? Honest question. We aren't eradicating Covid.
I'm going to guess when the hospital and health care systems aren't overwhelmed. The holidays are when a lot of extra germs are spread around. It's not all about covid.
This makes sense. When numbers were so high here they had to shut down Urgent Care centers we were definitely limiting our movements. Things have improved a ton though so I'm feeling okay with travel again. I feel like without mandates our vaccination rates won't improve a whole lot more so once DD is vaccinated I just don't know what else we can do. I'm feeling both hopeful and defeated at the moment.
It’s not like travel has been recommended this entire time. We’ve still traveled but only driving and laying super low and/ or at times when the virus had receded a bit.
We do have some trips planned but they are cancelable 3-4 days beforehand so we’ll make a virus and hospital etc judgment at that time. I don’t want to go somewhere where we are stuck or there are no medical services available.
For the kids, I’m hoping we can get at least 1 dose in them ASAP.
I think it's mostly aimed at the half of the population that isn't vaxx'd yet. Not that that section of the population cares. That being said, I wouldn't expose my unvaxx'd kid to traveling right now.
Post by sillygoosegirl on Oct 4, 2021 13:13:40 GMT -5
I wish we could set up really fun mass vaccine block parties in every Halloween "destination" neighborhood, with staff and volunteers dressed up as fun characters, candy, bouncy houses, and everything else we could think of to get kids to say "Mommy, look! Can I get my vaccine from Elsa and go in the bouncy house? Pretty please with a vaccine on top?"
Too bad the EUA won't come in time to organize such a thing, even if it does come by Halloween...
I wish we could set up really fun mass vaccine block parties in every Halloween "destination" neighborhood, with staff and volunteers dressed up as fun characters, candy, bouncy houses, and everything else we could think of to get kids to say "Mommy, look! Can I get my vaccine from Elsa and go in the bouncy house? Pretty please with a vaccine on top?"
Too bad the EUA won't come in time to organize such a thing, even if it does come by Halloween...
I love this idea! If DD1 could get her shots from Elsa, maybe we’d avoid the huge meltdown scene that was her flu shot last week. 😭
I think it's mostly aimed at the half of the population that isn't vaxx'd yet. Not that that section of the population cares.
They don't, they're complaining about how "Fraudci" is starting this country's War on Christmas early. And then they'll still gather and travel anyway, but they can just be mad at someone at the same time, and you know how much they love being mad at people who want to deprive them of their "freedoms."
Post by Velar Fricative on Oct 4, 2021 15:19:36 GMT -5
So my 3rd grader has a new teacher as of Wednesday (sub today and tomorrow). She used to be the science teacher but took over regular classes since last year. I know her and like her and am glad she is vaccinated. And given the 10-day classroom closure after Day 3, she only was in class with the teacher for 7 school days so it won't be a huge shift. I feel some kind of way now that I know my kid and her classmates, all too young to be vaccinated, were exposed to an unvaccinated teacher on Day 2. The mandate was announced in August (early or mid-August, can't remember). First day of school was 9/13.
At least masks worked because there were no other confirmed cases in the class. I suppose there could have been unconfirmed, asymptomatic cases, but a lot of parents in the class parents group on FB posted confirming when their kids tested negative.
So my 3rd grader has a new teacher as of Wednesday (sub today and tomorrow). She used to be the science teacher but took over regular classes since last year. I know her and like her and am glad she is vaccinated. And given the 10-day classroom closure after Day 3, she only was in class with the teacher for 7 school days so it won't be a huge shift. I feel some kind of way now that I know my kid and her classmates, all too young to be vaccinated, were exposed to an unvaccinated teacher on Day 2. The mandate was announced in August (early or mid-August, can't remember). First day of school was 9/13.
At least masks worked because there were no other confirmed cases in the class. I suppose there could have been unconfirmed, asymptomatic cases, but a lot of parents in the class parents group on FB posted confirming when their kids tested negative.
I’m sorry you’ve been through all this worry, it isn’t right.
I’m personally a little heartened by stories about masking working, because when there’s a prevalent vaccine-resistant variant, I feel better knowing there’s something we can still do.
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
Post by picksthemusic on Oct 5, 2021 10:22:01 GMT -5
My BIL and SIL have been avoiding coming to my IL's house when we are there with the kids. All of the adults are vaccinated, but they are thinking since the kids are back in school that we're putting their 3 year-old at risk. I'm not sure how much more of a risk it is than going to the grocery store, but whatever. I'm okay with it, they are a handful at get-togethers.