COVID-19

oftenreading · July 2020

dankind said:

pjl44 said:

An interesting comment by Dr. Fauci. I'd say that 60% is better than nothing, but it's not the sort of protection most people associate with getting vaccinated.

How effective are most flu vaccines, which is what I imagine a Covid-19 vaccine would be more akin to than, say, an MMR shot?

I think a good deal of us have been vaccinated for the flu but still got the flu in a any given flu season. I still get vaccinated because some protection is better than no protection.

Personally, I'm not sure that 60% is good enough for my family to get out of the house and resume our lives, but it is what it is.

The influenza vaccine is generally about 50 - 60% effective in a typical year, but influenza isn't really a great comparator for a covid vaccine. Influenza is difficult to develop an effective vaccine for because of the rapid mutation rate and multiple circulating strains. So far, SARS CoV2 hasn't seemed to mutate much. The challenges in vaccine development come from other areas.

dankind · July 2020

Well, we're giving it every chance to mutate as much as it likes.

Here's hoping it's either lazy or just plain tired after wiping out more than 650,000 souls.

pjl44 · July 2020

I'll add that vaccines for shingles, smallpox, and MMR are in the 90-97% range. Apples and oranges in a lot of ways, but the point is that the efficacy data will be important to pay attention to. Especially as it may vary by vaccine. Relative level of protection will certainly factor into your decision making.

mcgruff10 · July 2020

Went to a wake this morning and every single person was wearing masks. Side note, it was really weird being at a wake with a mask on. It took me a few seconds to recognize people.

deadendp · July 2020

mcgruff10 said:

Went to a wake this morning and every single person was wearing masks. Side note, it was really weird being at a wake with a mask on. It took me a few seconds to recognize people.

They skipped having calling hours for my father-in-law and only had a private service with 13 in attendance. It was very odd.

F Me In The Brain · July 2020

Have to submit our decision for our child returning to school or doing full time distance learning ...just told us next week is the deadline.
I haven't given it much thought since everything changes so much, week to week.
Not much of a decision to make with one at risk person in our household.

Wonder if we were all healthy of we would send him and just keep anything he brings back to us? (We would stay on lockdown but let him go to school.)

Hard saying, not knowing. As much as it sucks, I think our decision is an easy one. He stays home.
Just not worth the risk of my wife dying.

deadendp · July 2020

FMe, The fall learning experience is going to be much different than the slapped together version we got this spring. I have had several district teachers come into the gallery this week, hang out and talk to me at length about the changes and online curriculum.

Is it going to be the same as the in-person teaching? No. However, these poor teachers had a pandemic, lil used or unused resources to navigate . . . In K's district, they had 5 days to patch together something.

As far as the learning aspect, Lil T will learn what he needs to learn and honestly, the social stuff will come. My guess (and it is purely a guess) is that they will address bringing everyone back together as a community after the all-clear is given.

In the meantime, I am glad that they have choices so that people in situations such as yours can choose the best fit for your family. I'm sorry that we have to make these choices, but I'm glad that they are there to make.

dankind · July 2020

I would like to just quit my job and homeschool them independently at this point, but I've been informed by the family accountant that we can't afford to do that.

The district sucks. Great Schools is a scam.

But the kid who has friends actually wants to go back to the classroom, and the little guy who gets bullied every day would obviously rather learn remotely.

I would just rather not deal with the district's incompetence anymore.

mcgruff10 · July 2020

dankind said:

I would like to just quit my job and homeschool them independently at this point, but I've been informed by the family accountant that we can't afford to do that.

The district sucks. Great Schools is a scam.

But the kid who has friends actually wants to go back to the classroom, and the little guy who gets bullied every day would obviously rather learn remotely.

I would just rather not deal with the district's incompetence anymore.

I'm surprised at this since Massachusetts and New Jersey are ranked #1 and #2 (depending on the poll and year) in the nation for public schools.

bbiggs · July 2020

mcgruff10 said:

dankind said:

I would like to just quit my job and homeschool them independently at this point, but I've been informed by the family accountant that we can't afford to do that.

The district sucks. Great Schools is a scam.

But the kid who has friends actually wants to go back to the classroom, and the little guy who gets bullied every day would obviously rather learn remotely.

I would just rather not deal with the district's incompetence anymore.

I'm surprised at this since Massachusetts and New Jersey are ranked #1 and #2 (depending on the poll and year) in the nation for public schools.

That's great. I had no idea. Good to see a high tax state like N.J. seeing something good come from those dollars. In IL we're taxed at similar levels and still find a way to have plenty of shit public school districts. Decades of political corruption and financial mismanagement to blame.

In any case, I would prefer for my kids to go back to the classroom, but I don't think it will end up happening. There's a ton of push back occurring from the teacher's union at this point. We'll take it as it comes being that we can't control the outcome.

I hope everyone finds the right solution that meets the needs of their kids education and also the needs of comfort levels with the virus. Stay safe.

F Me In The Brain · July 2020

deadendp said:

FMe, The fall learning experience is going to be much different than the slapped together version we got this spring. I have had several district teachers come into the gallery this week, hang out and talk to me at length about the changes and online curriculum.

Is it going to be the same as the in-person teaching? No. However, these poor teachers had a pandemic, lil used or unused resources to navigate . . . In K's district, they had 5 days to patch together something.

As far as the learning aspect, Lil T will learn what he needs to learn and honestly, the social stuff will come. My guess (and it is purely a guess) is that they will address bringing everyone back together as a community after the all-clear is given.

In the meantime, I am glad that they have choices so that people in situations such as yours can choose the best fit for your family. I'm sorry that we have to make these choices, but I'm glad that they are there to make.

Thanks.
I know this state gets high marks for public schools but I have no faith in the statements that the school board is making.
(As we raised our nephew, every year there would be delays in shit that the state implemented and last year as our son entered there was a handful of bullshit things to deal with )
I'll believe it when I see it - but I hope you are right.

I'm more in line with Dankind in how I feel about the boobs running the district here....although at least the leader isn't a racist boob like the one he describes in his area.

dankind · July 2020

mcgruff10 said:

dankind said:

I would like to just quit my job and homeschool them independently at this point, but I've been informed by the family accountant that we can't afford to do that.

The district sucks. Great Schools is a scam.

But the kid who has friends actually wants to go back to the classroom, and the little guy who gets bullied every day would obviously rather learn remotely.

I would just rather not deal with the district's incompetence anymore.

I'm surprised at this since Massachusetts and New Jersey are ranked #1 and #2 (depending on the poll and year) in the nation for public schools.

Yeah, the schools in Wellesley, Newton, Belmont, Weston, Lexington, Concord, etc. are likely as decent as they say they are. Once you get up to my area, however, you can't trust Route 1 folks to rate the efficacy of their own schools.

Basically, just listen to one of them speak for a minute or so, and then decide if you'd like to send your child to the same school that they attended. Likely, you won't.

deadendp · July 2020

DK and FMe,

You are both aware we open enroll K out of district, 25 minutes away, because the junior high and high school where we live was not at all a good fit for our daughter. K-2/4 were great at her elementary. Years 3 & 5 sucked big time, with 5 being the worst teaching staff for that grade ever. Worst. Teachers. Ever.

We open enrolled from grade 6 and on. We had to basically toss that as a shit can year due to 1. 5th grade being so fucked up and 2. there is a 2 1/2 year learning gap from school system 1-> school system 2. K lost 5th grade, then she was overwhelmed by being so far behind in the new district. She continues in math intervention and her test anxiety (thank you Mr. H from 5th grade) qualified her for a 504 to give accommodations with testing.

I'm thankful we have the option to open enroll. Not every district will take open enroll and in K's out-of-district school, the reason she qualifies is because she is from an underperforming school district. (Hello F rating.) The monies for her education at F school travel with her to the open enroll school, which probably pays them 3 students worth for one of their in-district kids. It is a financial help to her open enroll school to take her.

Poncier · July 2020

dankind said:

mcgruff10 said:

dankind said:

I would like to just quit my job and homeschool them independently at this point, but I've been informed by the family accountant that we can't afford to do that.

The district sucks. Great Schools is a scam.

But the kid who has friends actually wants to go back to the classroom, and the little guy who gets bullied every day would obviously rather learn remotely.

I would just rather not deal with the district's incompetence anymore.

I'm surprised at this since Massachusetts and New Jersey are ranked #1 and #2 (depending on the poll and year) in the nation for public schools.

Yeah, the schools in Wellesley, Newton, Belmont, Weston, Lexington, Concord, etc. are likely as decent as they say they are. Once you get up to my area, however, you can't trust Route 1 folks to rate the efficacy of their own schools.

Basically, just listen to one of them speak for a minute or so, and then decide if you'd like to send your child to the same school that they attended. Likely, you won't.

You could have been my neighbor in MarshVegas, no issues with the school system here. High school is brand new (like 4 yrs old) state of the art.

F Me In The Brain · July 2020

deadendp said:

DK and FMe,

You are both aware we open enroll K out of district, 25 minutes away, because the junior high and high school where we live was not at all a good fit for our daughter. K-2/4 were great at her elementary. Years 3 & 5 sucked big time, with 5 being the worst teaching staff for that grade ever. Worst. Teachers. Ever.

We open enrolled from grade 6 and on. We had to basically toss that as a shit can year due to 1. 5th grade being so fucked up and 2. there is a 2 1/2 year learning gap from school system 1-> school system 2. K lost 5th grade, then she was overwhelmed by being so far behind in the new district. She continues in math intervention and her test anxiety (thank you Mr. H from 5th grade) qualified her for a 504 to give accommodations with testing.

I'm thankful we have the option to open enroll. Not every district will take open enroll and in K's out-of-district school, the reason she qualifies is because she is from an underperforming school district. (Hello F rating.) The monies for her education at F school travel with her to the open enroll school, which probably pays them 3 students worth for one of their in-district kids. It is a financial help to her open enroll school to take her.

Glad that you guys took that route and it is working.

RogueStoner · July 2020

I really feel for all of you parents. I hope everything works out well for each of you.

My kids start online school in a week and then in person school on August 17th. My 4th and 7th graders will be attending school 2 days a week, cutting the classroom size to 8 students, all in masks. I’m comfortable with that. They need that classroom time for so many reasons.

I have no idea what the high school will be doing and I’m fairly sure I won’t like it.

I’ve now had 4 friends recover from Covid. I’m very grateful for that. I hope you all stay healthy.

Glorified KC · July 2020

I'm hoping businesses can bounce back, or there will be innovative new businesses on the other side of this. One of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee just closed permanently. I'm not sure where the restaurant industry will go moving forward.

hedonist · July 2020

Glorified KC said:

I'm hoping businesses can bounce back, or there will be innovative new businesses on the other side of this. One of my favorite restaurants in Milwaukee just closed permanently. I'm not sure where the restaurant industry will go moving forward.

Many small businesses are already fucked. Many large ones too.

I’m guessing things like shopping malls will slowly go to the wayside.

Maybe they’ll pave the parking lots and put up some paradises

True, we may not know what we’ve got till it’s gone, but sometimes destruction leads to reconstruction - perhaps toward efforts beneficial to all (or at least many).

lastexitlondon · July 2020

Amazon has been the winner of all this. They now are coming everyday several times to our block of 10 flats.

deadendp · July 2020

lastexitlondon said:

Amazon has been the winner of all this. They now are coming everyday several times to our block of 10 flats.

We were just talking about our UPS driver yesterday. You want to talk about a winner-- she is wonderful! She found out that I order vinyl and she tucks it in to make sure it doesn't warp. She wraps packages if it is to rain. Always such a fantastic personality.

Amazon lost a package of mine earlier this week. It shipped from the top of the county. I had to reorder and now we've been waiting a week and a half.

I have actually used a combination of orders and services through this.

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