Yeah, I'm not sure how day care would be any safer from spreading the virus than school.
My first question is whether we're talking about the same kids. As in they'll send kids who otherwise would have been in school to this daycare? Or are they providing daycare for non-school-aged kids and we're conflating the two? Either way, to your point, how does a city say one is safe and the other isn't?
Yep. Let’s pull kids out of classrooms and halt their education to slow the virus spread. Then, let’s throw them into day care with no educational value. Brilliant idea!
Yep. Let’s pull kids out of classrooms and halt their education to slow the virus spread. Then, let’s throw them into day care with no educational value. Brilliant idea!
My guess is that it has to do with social distance requirements as prescribed by the CDC. My school board did not even consider sending students back 100% because per the CDC guidelines, we could not provide 6 feet of space between student desks. Even at 50% capacity, the superintendent said (based on a design consultant's recommendations) that we would have to remove (and then store) a bunch of other classroom furniture. When I visited my classroom earlier this week, I saw that they had put half of the desks in each room, and in my room, there was about 3 feet between them at half capacity. Anyone who lives in a school district where they plan to put all the kids back in classrooms -- I guarantee you they will NOT be social distancing. Good luck with that.
It's very possible that they measured the space in all these public buildings and saw that they had enough room to put 100K kids across the city while being able to social distance or at least limiting the capacity in each space. I do not know what NYC's plan is for schooling. These 100K kids may not be school age children. They may be infants and toddlers.
People need to stop rushing to judgment and criticizing schools. You got a daycare problem? Come up with a daycare solution.
Yep. Let’s pull kids out of classrooms and halt their education to slow the virus spread. Then, let’s throw them into day care with no educational value. Brilliant idea!
DeBlasio is full of brilliant ideas.
I don't live there or follow his every move, but from a distance, he seems pretty incompetent.
I don't know, it's not ideal, but neither is the full online model or full in person model. This seems to be trying to provide balance with safety precautions in place. And honestly, are we that concerned children won't be able to succeed in life if they aren't in a public school classroom 5 days a week for the next 12 months? I have an 11 and 7 year old and I have zero concerns. Obviously my lifestyle allows for them not to be in a school setting all the time and still provide them with stable housing, food and emotional support so I don't really care what the school districts do, but there does need to be something for the demographics most impacted by no steady in person school support.
The city will provide 100,000 childcare spots this fall for families with young children and students enrolled in blended learning, with the kids fully supervised by city staffers at places like libraries and cultural centers, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at his press briefing Thursday.
"We're going to use every conceivable space: community centers, libraries, cultural organizations, whatever we can find in communities," de Blasio said. "There'll be childcare for 100,000 kids and we aim to go farther. Families will get that child care regardless of ability to pay. And that we will make sure that every parent who needs help, we're going to constantly look for every option to help them."
The new childcare program, for groups of no more than 15 children, is being posited as “learning lab” days, said Melanie Hartzog, the city’s Director Office of Management and Budget.
“We are framing these remote days as the mayor mentioned as 'learning labs' partnering with libraries and cultural institutions to provide care and programming. It will include activities like arts, recreation, tutoring, local field trips where possible, and, of course, social and emotional supports,” Hartzog said.
Yep. Let’s pull kids out of classrooms and halt their education to slow the virus spread. Then, let’s throw them into day care with no educational value. Brilliant idea!
DeBlasio is full of brilliant ideas.
I doubt this is "his" idea. I will assume he is working with the leaders in the areas who oversee education and they are trying to develop viable alternatives that still support learning in some capacity. Easy to criticize from the sidelines, but I don't envy any of the mayors and governors who are trying to actually minimize public health risks and balance every other human need.
Yep. Let’s pull kids out of classrooms and halt their education to slow the virus spread. Then, let’s throw them into day care with no educational value. Brilliant idea!
DeBlasio is full of brilliant ideas.
Because Team Trump Treason stole all the really good ones. Maybe Betsy has a plan for re-opening schools? Oh yea, right. Criticize all you want, at least DeBlasio is trying to figure it out. Something that's never been tried before, I might add. Some colleges and universities are looking at WeWork space, with distant learning, to reduce the numbers in classrooms. But yea, lets try nothing and hope it'll magically disappear.
Our school district already changed plans for the upcoming school year within 48 hours of the initial plan being rolled out. Now, we're 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 5 days a week (for now). Basically half days. The two neighboring school districts are 100% remote learning for at least 9 weeks and in classroom 2 days a week in the other. My district and the one with 2 days a week in classroom are both offering 100% e-learning to those that want it.
Apparently, Pritzker (our governor) is telling the school districts that if they choose to open the classrooms and the numbers go up in their area, they are going to be held liable.
Our school district already changed plans for the upcoming school year within 48 hours of the initial plan being rolled out. Now, we're 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 5 days a week (for now). Basically half days. The two neighboring school districts are 100% remote learning for at least 9 weeks and in classroom 2 days a week in the other. My district and the one with 2 days a week in classroom are both offering 100% e-learning to those that want it.
Apparently, Pritzker (our governor) is telling the school districts that if they choose to open the classrooms and the numbers go up in their area, they are going to be held liable.
What a train wreck this is.
Absolutely there is a liability issue. Here is one of the Q&As between my school board and superintendent's offfice:
If Covid is transmitted on school property, what is the legal liability of MCPS?
Answer: We have been notified by our insurance carrier that as long as MCPS is adhering to the guidelines developed by the CDC, its legal liability should be mitigated. Revised guidelines from the CDC will be forthcoming this week which may alter the plans provided to the School Board on July 8th. Congress is also considering a bill that would protect all public school divisions from liability. ----------------- Regarding the italicized part -- Congress is considering that. Republicans want to block it.
I promise you that there will be a parent or parentS who will sue the school district if their kid catches CoVid.
Where are all the Home Schoolers? Seems like this would be the perfect time to home school your kids, right? Teachers have it easy and are over paid for what they do, right? Give it a whirl, home school your kids. Hell, take the neighbor's kids too. Its easy and you won't have to wear masks.
Yep. Let’s pull kids out of classrooms and halt their education to slow the virus spread. Then, let’s throw them into day care with no educational value. Brilliant idea!
DeBlasio is full of brilliant ideas.
Because Team Trump Treason stole all the really good ones. Maybe Betsy has a plan for re-opening schools? Oh yea, right. Criticize all you want, at least DeBlasio is trying to figure it out. Something that's never been tried before, I might add. Some colleges and universities are looking at WeWork space, with distant learning, to reduce the numbers in classrooms. But yea, lets try nothing and hope it'll magically disappear.
Yep. Let’s pull kids out of classrooms and halt their education to slow the virus spread. Then, let’s throw them into day care with no educational value. Brilliant idea!
DeBlasio is full of brilliant ideas.
Because Team Trump Treason stole all the really good ones. Maybe Betsy has a plan for re-opening schools? Oh yea, right. Criticize all you want, at least DeBlasio is trying to figure it out. Something that's never been tried before, I might add. Some colleges and universities are looking at WeWork space, with distant learning, to reduce the numbers in classrooms. But yea, lets try nothing and hope it'll magically disappear.
It was only a matter of time before this went to Trump. I can’t even critique my Mayor without it going to Trump.
So, who on the repub side of the ledger has an alternative? At the NYC level? What's their plan? And your critique seems misguided in that its critical of a plan to return to school by trying to minimize class sizes. Some might call it...……..
I don't know, it's not ideal, but neither is the full online model or full in person model. This seems to be trying to provide balance with safety precautions in place. And honestly, are we that concerned children won't be able to succeed in life if they aren't in a public school classroom 5 days a week for the next 12 months? I have an 11 and 7 year old and I have zero concerns. Obviously my lifestyle allows for them not to be in a school setting all the time and still provide them with stable housing, food and emotional support so I don't really care what the school districts do, but there does need to be something for the demographics most impacted by no steady in person school support.
The city will provide 100,000 childcare spots this fall for families with young children and students enrolled in blended learning, with the kids fully supervised by city staffers at places like libraries and cultural centers, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at his press briefing Thursday.
"We're going to use every conceivable space: community centers, libraries, cultural organizations, whatever we can find in communities," de Blasio said. "There'll be childcare for 100,000 kids and we aim to go farther. Families will get that child care regardless of ability to pay. And that we will make sure that every parent who needs help, we're going to constantly look for every option to help them."
The new childcare program, for groups of no more than 15 children, is being posited as “learning lab” days, said Melanie Hartzog, the city’s Director Office of Management and Budget.
“We are framing these remote days as the mayor mentioned as 'learning labs' partnering with libraries and cultural institutions to provide care and programming. It will include activities like arts, recreation, tutoring, local field trips where possible, and, of course, social and emotional supports,” Hartzog said.
Thanks for posting that link - that's what I was looking for. It sounds more reasonable with the additional details, but also seems like they have quite a mountain to climb.
Yep. Let’s pull kids out of classrooms and halt their education to slow the virus spread. Then, let’s throw them into day care with no educational value. Brilliant idea!
DeBlasio is full of brilliant ideas.
Because Team Trump Treason stole all the really good ones. Maybe Betsy has a plan for re-opening schools? Oh yea, right. Criticize all you want, at least DeBlasio is trying to figure it out. Something that's never been tried before, I might add. Some colleges and universities are looking at WeWork space, with distant learning, to reduce the numbers in classrooms. But yea, lets try nothing and hope it'll magically disappear.
Yep. Let’s pull kids out of classrooms and halt their education to slow the virus spread. Then, let’s throw them into day care with no educational value. Brilliant idea!
DeBlasio is full of brilliant ideas.
Because Team Trump Treason stole all the really good ones. Maybe Betsy has a plan for re-opening schools? Oh yea, right. Criticize all you want, at least DeBlasio is trying to figure it out. Something that's never been tried before, I might add. Some colleges and universities are looking at WeWork space, with distant learning, to reduce the numbers in classrooms. But yea, lets try nothing and hope it'll magically disappear.
Shouldn't be a surprise that we need to hear more details on a childcare/education program than what was included in a single tweet. There are plenty of reasons why the childcare issue needs to be addressed, not least of which is that more and more parents are being required to return to their workplaces (not just permitted, but required) without their regular childcare in place. Why would addressing that issue necessarily be the wrong thing to do?
my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
When Covid-19 suddenly ravaged New York, hospitals looked "apocalyptic." Refrigerated trucks turned into morgues because there wasn't enough space for all the victims.
That was March. Three months later, the state had "done a full 180, from worst to first," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
Now, the rates of infection, hospitalizations or deaths have plummeted in New York and several other states -- paving the way for full economic reopenings.
Here's how some states have helped get coronavirus under control -- and what they're doing to make sure it stays that way:
Connecticut
How much the state has improved:
Connecticut has consistently had one of the lowest rates of transmission (R numbers) of any state in the country. An R number represents how many people each infected person is likely to go on and infect, on average.
Connecticut has an R number of about 0.90. That means fewer and fewer people are getting infected in the state.
And the number of new deaths has plummeted since April 26, when the seven-day average of daily deaths was 113. That number has stayed below 5 every day since July 2, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
How they tried to get their numbers down:
Connecticut started mandating face masks statewide on April 20.
Even though Connecticut had some of the best numbers in the nation, Gov. Ned Lamont decided not to move forward with Phase 3 reopening plans on July 6. That meant bars will remain closed, and restaurants must stay at 50% capacity.
"Look, I like a beer at the bar as much as the next person. I know how frustrating this can be," Lamont said. "But right now, with this pandemic flaring up in a majority of other states, this is not the time to take a risk."
Lamont also said the state would hold off on allowing outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people.
New York
How much the state improved:
New York started Phase 2 of its reopening on May 29, allowing office-based work, in-store retail shopping and some barbershop services to resume in much of the state.
And between May 29 and July 10, average daily new cases in New York state has dropped about 55% -- from about 1,447 new cases a day to 651 cases a day, according to data from Johns Hopkins.
"If someone is unhappy, if somebody wants to blame someone, or complain about someone, blame me. There is no one else who is responsible for this decision," Cuomo said that day. "This is not life as usual. And accept it and realize it and deal with it."
"We're hunting positives," Cuomo said in March. "We're hunting positives so we can isolate them and reduce the spread."
New Yorkers tuned into Cuomo's daily briefings for updates on the virus and how to stay safe. During his 111th and final daily briefing on June 19, Cuomo said the state had gone "from worst to first."
He credited residents who followed guidance, stayed home, and wore masks when they had to go out in public.
As a popular tourist destination, New York is trying to prevent visitors from spreading the virus. So anyone coming from a state where coronavirus is surging must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
"The quarantine applies to any person arriving from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a 7-day rolling average or a state with a 10% or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average," the governor's office said.
"Travelers who leave the airport without completing the form will be subject to a $2,000 fine and may be brought to a hearing and ordered to complete mandatory quarantine," the governor's office said.
Massachusetts started reopening on May 25. But since then, the rate of new cases has gone down, not up.
Between May 25 and July 10, the rate of daily new cases in Massachusetts has dropped by 75%, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Between April 15 and July 14, Covid-19 hospitalizations have dropped by about 84%, and the rate of new deaths has dropped by about 95%, according to data from the Massachusetts Department of Health.
It also enacted a mask mandate before most other states did, on May 6. But unlike some states, the mandate in Massachusetts also applies to outdoor public areas where it might not be possible to stay 6 feet away from others.
How they're planning to keep Covid-19 under control:
Massachusetts is doubling down on testing to try to snuff out coronavirus in the state.
This month, Gov. Charlie Baker announced a "Stop the Spread" testing initiative that will last until mid-August.
The effort will focus on eight communities where the rates of Covid-19 are higher than the statewide average.
"The goal of this initiative is to provide widespread asymptomatic testing in an easy-to-access location within these communities" to help stop community spread, Baker said.
"Students in grade 2 and above are required to wear a mask/face covering that covers their nose and mouth," according to initial guidance from the state education department. The same applies to teachers and staff members.
For those unable to wear a mask, face shields may be used. And mask breaks should occur throughout the day if there's adequate distancing or ventilation.
New Jersey
How the state has improved:
New Jersey was hit hard early in this pandemic, with hospitalizations and deaths soaring. The state has the highest rate of Covid-19 deaths per capita: 175 per 100,000 people.
But now, New Jersey is among just a handful of states on track to contain Covid-19, according to CovidActNow.org, which tracks each state in four key areas: the infection rate, the test positivity rate, hospital capacity and contact tracing ability.
While testing has increased, the rate of new cases has decreased. New Jersey now has a test positivity rate of about 1.3%.
And the rate of transmission (Rt) is about 0.91, which means fewer and fewer people are getting infected.
-- The closure of all schools and universities starting on March 18
-- The closure of all casinos, racetracks, theaters and gyms
-- The closure of all nonessential retail, recreational and entertainment businesses after 8 p.m. each day
New Jersey was the first state to issue a mask mandate, back on April 8.
Businesses must provide masks to employees and deny entry to any customer who refuse to wear them inside the business. Those riding public transit in the state must also wear face masks.
New Jersey also joined forces with New York and Connecticut on requiring visitors from hot-spot states to quarantine for 14 days.
How New Jersey is trying to keep Covid-19 under control:
Officials are urging residents not to get complacent just because the numbers have improved.
"Our rate of transmission is in a good place today, but only a week ago ... it was above 1.0," the governor said Monday.
"And if we change course, it's going to not only rise, but so will the number of positive test results, so will the number of hospitalizations, and so will the number, sadly, of residents who pass."
Contact tracing has steadily improved in Vermont -- from an average of 2.7 contacts made per case in April to 4.8 contacts made per case in June.
As of last week, "2,469 contacts have been identified," the Vermont Department of Health said.
"172 contacts became a COVID-19 case. This means that this group of people knew to stay home, and likely did not spread the virus further."
How they're planning to keep Covid-19 under control:
When schools reopen this fall, "All staff and students are required to wear facial coverings while in the building, as well as outside where physical distancing cannot be maintained," according to guidance issued last month by state health and education officials. That guidance could change before the school year starts.
And despite having the lowest test positivity rate in the country, Vermont's state of emergency will be extended for another month, Gov. Phil Scott announced Tuesday.
"It's the vehicle we need to keep certain protections in place (and) control outbreaks as they come up, so we can keep the economy open and manage this ongoing crisis," Scott said.
"As long as the data stays consistent, we will stick with our effort to incrementally lift restrictions and get closer to a point where this order is no longer necessary."
my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
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hedonist
standing on the edge of forever Posts: 24,524
My niece works for a firm that has an executive suite in a building. Someone in a suite across the hall tested positive for Covid, but the head of that firm neglected to share the news for several days. Poor kid did the test, then quarantined herself until the (negative) results came.
I just wish people would be more responsible. Not because of image or liability, but for simple compassion, integrity, and common sense.
Shouldn't be a surprise that we need to hear more details on a childcare/education program than what was included in a single tweet. There are plenty of reasons why the childcare issue needs to be addressed, not least of which is that more and more parents are being required to return to their workplaces (not just permitted, but required) without their regular childcare in place. Why would addressing that issue necessarily be the wrong thing to do?
Yeah, totally my bad. You can probably poke holes in it, but it's at worst a pretty novel approach to a big problem.
Flo Rida with 1/3 of the population of the U.K. is doing worse than the U.K. and is comparable to Wuhan, China at their peak. Can we call it the Flo Rida virus now?
Shouldn't be a surprise that we need to hear more details on a childcare/education program than what was included in a single tweet. There are plenty of reasons why the childcare issue needs to be addressed, not least of which is that more and more parents are being required to return to their workplaces (not just permitted, but required) without their regular childcare in place. Why would addressing that issue necessarily be the wrong thing to do?
Addressing a childcare need is not a problem. It becomes questionable when the childcare need arises as a direct result of school closures due to COVID. The logic escapes me when it is suddenly okay to throw all of those kids in the same space because it’s childcare and not school. It then becomes safe?
Oh, and our governor is making all of the school districts pull a “gotcha” tomorrow. Within the same week that most schools rolled out plans, the governor is now set to announce a state mandate for no in class teaching to “start” the school year. Nice timing. I guarantee our kids won’t be able to step foot in a school this year. A shame.
Shouldn't be a surprise that we need to hear more details on a childcare/education program than what was included in a single tweet. There are plenty of reasons why the childcare issue needs to be addressed, not least of which is that more and more parents are being required to return to their workplaces (not just permitted, but required) without their regular childcare in place. Why would addressing that issue necessarily be the wrong thing to do?
Addressing a childcare need is not a problem. It becomes questionable when the childcare need arises as a direct result of school closures due to COVID. The logic escapes me when it is suddenly okay to throw all of those kids in the same space because it’s childcare and not school. It then becomes safe?
That does not appear to be what is happening, though.
my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
As a teacher I have no clue what the right answer is. If a kid on my team gets covid then the entire team has to quarantine for two weeks. (80 kids six teachers. Core plus specials) now if a teacher gets covid it is a whole differnrnt ballgame. Let s say I get covid, my entire team (80 kids, plus teachers) plus my wife s team (same school, 80 kids plus teachers), plus my daughters classmates and bus mates in high school plus my first grader in another school. Plus my sixth grade grade son goes to school in another district so teachers plus students. Etc etc. Craziness. Teaching is going to be very different come fall (no group work, peer to peer instruction, etc) however I m ready to teach either remotely or in person.
As a teacher I have no clue what the right answer is. If a kid on my team gets covid then the entire team has to quarantine for two weeks. (80 kids six teachers. Core plus specials) now if a teacher gets covid it is a whole differnrnt ballgame. Let s say I get covid, my entire team (80 kids, plus teachers) plus my wife s team (same school, 80 kids plus teachers), plus my daughters classmates and bus mates in high school plus my first grader in another school. Craziness. I m ready to teach either remotely or in person.
This is not easy and there’s no perfect answer. As a teacher and a parent, if you had your way, would you prefer in class or e-learning?
Comments
Yeah, I'm not sure how day care would be any safer from spreading the virus than school.
And I have like 8 other questions.
It's very possible that they measured the space in all these public buildings and saw that they had enough room to put 100K kids across the city while being able to social distance or at least limiting the capacity in each space. I do not know what NYC's plan is for schooling. These 100K kids may not be school age children. They may be infants and toddlers.
People need to stop rushing to judgment and criticizing schools. You got a daycare problem? Come up with a daycare solution.
I don't know, it's not ideal, but neither is the full online model or full in person model. This seems to be trying to provide balance with safety precautions in place. And honestly, are we that concerned children won't be able to succeed in life if they aren't in a public school classroom 5 days a week for the next 12 months? I have an 11 and 7 year old and I have zero concerns. Obviously my lifestyle allows for them not to be in a school setting all the time and still provide them with stable housing, food and emotional support so I don't really care what the school districts do, but there does need to be something for the demographics most impacted by no steady in person school support.
The city will provide 100,000 childcare spots this fall for families with young children and students enrolled in blended learning, with the kids fully supervised by city staffers at places like libraries and cultural centers, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at his press briefing Thursday.
"We're going to use every conceivable space: community centers, libraries, cultural organizations, whatever we can find in communities," de Blasio said. "There'll be childcare for 100,000 kids and we aim to go farther. Families will get that child care regardless of ability to pay. And that we will make sure that every parent who needs help, we're going to constantly look for every option to help them."
The new childcare program, for groups of no more than 15 children, is being posited as “learning lab” days, said Melanie Hartzog, the city’s Director Office of Management and Budget.
“We are framing these remote days as the mayor mentioned as 'learning labs' partnering with libraries and cultural institutions to provide care and programming. It will include activities like arts, recreation, tutoring, local field trips where possible, and, of course, social and emotional supports,” Hartzog said.
https://gothamist.com/news/new-york-city-plans-offer-100000-learning-lab-childcare-spots-working-families-fall
https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2020/07/16/city-plans-child-care-for-100-000-kids-when-schools-partially-reopen-1301436
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
If Covid is transmitted on school property, what is the legal liability of MCPS?
Answer: We have been notified by our insurance carrier that as long as MCPS is adhering to the guidelines developed by the CDC, its legal liability should be mitigated. Revised guidelines from the CDC will be forthcoming this week which may alter the plans provided to the School Board on July 8th. Congress is also considering a bill that would protect all public school divisions from liability.-----------------
Regarding the italicized part -- Congress is considering that. Republicans want to block it.
I promise you that there will be a parent or parentS who will sue the school district if their kid catches CoVid.
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/these-u-s-states-have-tamed-coronavirus-even-after-reopening-here-s-how-they-re-doing-it-1.5026577
When Covid-19 suddenly ravaged New York, hospitals looked "apocalyptic." Refrigerated trucks turned into morgues because there wasn't enough space for all the victims.
That was March. Three months later, the state had "done a full 180, from worst to first," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
Now, the rates of infection, hospitalizations or deaths have plummeted in New York and several other states -- paving the way for full economic reopenings.
Here's how some states have helped get coronavirus under control -- and what they're doing to make sure it stays that way:
Connecticut
How much the state has improved:
Connecticut has consistently had one of the lowest rates of transmission (R numbers) of any state in the country. An R number represents how many people each infected person is likely to go on and infect, on average.
Connecticut has an R number of about 0.90. That means fewer and fewer people are getting infected in the state.And the number of new deaths has plummeted since April 26, when the seven-day average of daily deaths was 113. That number has stayed below 5 every day since July 2, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
How they tried to get their numbers down:
Connecticut started mandating face masks statewide on April 20.
Many other states didn't start requiring masks until two months later.
It also reopened later than many states, starting on May 20.
And like New York and New Jersey, Connecticut has required visitors from states with high rates of Covid-19 to quarantine for 14 days
How they're planning to keep a lid on the virus:
Even though Connecticut had some of the best numbers in the nation, Gov. Ned Lamont decided not to move forward with Phase 3 reopening plans on July 6. That meant bars will remain closed, and restaurants must stay at 50% capacity.
"Look, I like a beer at the bar as much as the next person. I know how frustrating this can be," Lamont said. "But right now, with this pandemic flaring up in a majority of other states, this is not the time to take a risk."
Lamont also said the state would hold off on allowing outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people.
New York
How much the state improved:
New York started Phase 2 of its reopening on May 29, allowing office-based work, in-store retail shopping and some barbershop services to resume in much of the state.
And between May 29 and July 10, average daily new cases in New York state has dropped about 55% -- from about 1,447 new cases a day to 651 cases a day, according to data from Johns Hopkins.
New York has by far the most Covid-19 deaths in the country, with more than 32,000 since the pandemic began.
On Monday, New York City reported no new deaths from Covid-19 for the first time in months.
What New York state did:
On March 20, as Covid-19 was spiraling out of control in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced all employees of nonessential businesses must stay home. It was one of the earliest shutdown mandates in the country.
"If someone is unhappy, if somebody wants to blame someone, or complain about someone, blame me. There is no one else who is responsible for this decision," Cuomo said that day. "This is not life as usual. And accept it and realize it and deal with it."
And at a time when testing was scarce across the country, New York tried to ramp up capabilities on its own. With FDA approval, New York state announced on March 13 it could authorize 28 public and private labs to start testing for coronavirus -- the first state to do so.
"We're hunting positives," Cuomo said in March. "We're hunting positives so we can isolate them and reduce the spread."
New Yorkers tuned into Cuomo's daily briefings for updates on the virus and how to stay safe. During his 111th and final daily briefing on June 19, Cuomo said the state had gone "from worst to first."
He credited residents who followed guidance, stayed home, and wore masks when they had to go out in public.
"This wasn't only about what government did. This was about what people did," Cuomo said. "Together, New Yorkers bent the curve because we acted responsibly and we looked out for each other. Now we must stay the course."
How they're planning to stay the course:
As a popular tourist destination, New York is trying to prevent visitors from spreading the virus. So anyone coming from a state where coronavirus is surging must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
"The quarantine applies to any person arriving from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a 7-day rolling average or a state with a 10% or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average," the governor's office said.
As of Tuesday, 22 states were on that travel advisory. Those arriving at a New York airport must fill out a traveler form.
"Travelers who leave the airport without completing the form will be subject to a $2,000 fine and may be brought to a hearing and ordered to complete mandatory quarantine," the governor's office said.
New York also released concrete metrics for when to allow schools to reopen, and when classes would need to go virtual if the situation gets worse.
While some have accused Cuomo of prematurely taking a victory lap, the governor's website stresses the fight is not over:
"Coronavirus is still active in New York," the top of the website reads. "We have to be smart. Wear a mask and maintain 6 feet distance in public."
Massachusetts
How much the state improved:
Massachusetts started reopening on May 25. But since then, the rate of new cases has gone down, not up.
Between May 25 and July 10, the rate of daily new cases in Massachusetts has dropped by 75%, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Between April 15 and July 14, Covid-19 hospitalizations have dropped by about 84%, and the rate of new deaths has dropped by about 95%, according to data from the Massachusetts Department of Health.
How they helped quell coronavirus:
Massachusetts waited to start reopening and was one of the last states to do so.
It also enacted a mask mandate before most other states did, on May 6. But unlike some states, the mandate in Massachusetts also applies to outdoor public areas where it might not be possible to stay 6 feet away from others.
How they're planning to keep Covid-19 under control:
Massachusetts is doubling down on testing to try to snuff out coronavirus in the state.
This month, Gov. Charlie Baker announced a "Stop the Spread" testing initiative that will last until mid-August.
The effort will focus on eight communities where the rates of Covid-19 are higher than the statewide average.
"The goal of this initiative is to provide widespread asymptomatic testing in an easy-to-access location within these communities" to help stop community spread, Baker said.
And Massachusetts is aiming to resume classroom education this fall -- but with face masks and distancing rules.
"Students in grade 2 and above are required to wear a mask/face covering that covers their nose and mouth," according to initial guidance from the state education department. The same applies to teachers and staff members.
For those unable to wear a mask, face shields may be used. And mask breaks should occur throughout the day if there's adequate distancing or ventilation.
New Jersey
How the state has improved:
New Jersey was hit hard early in this pandemic, with hospitalizations and deaths soaring. The state has the highest rate of Covid-19 deaths per capita: 175 per 100,000 people.
But now, New Jersey is among just a handful of states on track to contain Covid-19, according to CovidActNow.org, which tracks each state in four key areas: the infection rate, the test positivity rate, hospital capacity and contact tracing ability.
While testing has increased, the rate of new cases has decreased. New Jersey now has a test positivity rate of about 1.3%.
And the rate of transmission (Rt) is about 0.91, which means fewer and fewer people are getting infected.
How New Jersey helped changed its course:
In mid-March, Gov. Phil Murphy activated the National Guard and issued sweeping orders, including:
-- The closure of all schools and universities starting on March 18
-- The closure of all casinos, racetracks, theaters and gyms
-- The closure of all nonessential retail, recreational and entertainment businesses after 8 p.m. each day
New Jersey was the first state to issue a mask mandate, back on April 8.
Businesses must provide masks to employees and deny entry to any customer who refuse to wear them inside the business. Those riding public transit in the state must also wear face masks.
New Jersey also joined forces with New York and Connecticut on requiring visitors from hot-spot states to quarantine for 14 days.
How New Jersey is trying to keep Covid-19 under control:
Officials are urging residents not to get complacent just because the numbers have improved.
"Our rate of transmission is in a good place today, but only a week ago ... it was above 1.0," the governor said Monday.
"And if we change course, it's going to not only rise, but so will the number of positive test results, so will the number of hospitalizations, and so will the number, sadly, of residents who pass."
Vermont
How well the state is doing:
Vermont has the lowest test positivity rate in the nation -- 0.78% as of Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
It also has the 3rd lowest number of coronavirus cases per capita and the 10th lowest Covid-19 death rate of any state.
How they helped keep their numbers low:
Contact tracing has steadily improved in Vermont -- from an average of 2.7 contacts made per case in April to 4.8 contacts made per case in June.
As of last week, "2,469 contacts have been identified," the Vermont Department of Health said.
"172 contacts became a COVID-19 case. This means that this group of people knew to stay home, and likely did not spread the virus further."
How they're planning to keep Covid-19 under control:
When schools reopen this fall, "All staff and students are required to wear facial coverings while in the building, as well as outside where physical distancing cannot be maintained," according to guidance issued last month by state health and education officials. That guidance could change before the school year starts.
And despite having the lowest test positivity rate in the country, Vermont's state of emergency will be extended for another month, Gov. Phil Scott announced Tuesday.
"It's the vehicle we need to keep certain protections in place (and) control outbreaks as they come up, so we can keep the economy open and manage this ongoing crisis," Scott said.
"As long as the data stays consistent, we will stick with our effort to incrementally lift restrictions and get closer to a point where this order is no longer necessary."
I just wish people would be more responsible. Not because of image or liability, but for simple compassion, integrity, and common sense.
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
now if a teacher gets covid it is a whole
differnrnt ballgame. Let s say I get covid, my entire team (80 kids, plus teachers) plus my wife s team (same school, 80 kids plus teachers), plus my daughters classmates and bus mates in high school plus my first grader in another school. Plus my sixth grade grade son goes to school in another district so teachers plus students. Etc etc.
Craziness.
Teaching is going to be very different come fall (no group work, peer to peer instruction, etc) however I m ready to teach either remotely or in person.