With coronavirus cases surging, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia PolicyLab is recommending that schools across the region revert to virtual programs.
In an interview Wednesday, David Rubin, director of the PolicyLab, said that while most infections of children and teachers appear to be occurring out of school, there is “increasing evidence” that the virus is being transmitted in schools around the area.
There may be even more in-school transmission occurring than is known, Rubin said, because contact tracers haven’t been able to keep up with the surging caseload as Philadelphia and Pennsylvania have tallied record-high infections.
“We are sort of at the collapse of these plans” for school reopenings, Rubin said, adding, “We are in a catastrophic situation in the Philadelphia region.”
Some school leaders indicated Wednesday that the new recommendations wouldn’t cause them to change course.
“We’re going to do our best to remain open for the kids,” said Maureen Reusche, superintendent in the Haverford Township School District, which is offering hybrid in-person and online instruction to students. Reusche said the district has not been directed by the Chester County Health Department — which also serves as health department for Delaware County — to revert to virtual.
And while the district has seen 19 cases of the virus among students and staff since reopening in October, none of the cases have been linked, and the district hasn’t closed any buildings, Reusche said.
“Why is closing schools the number one mitigation strategy?” Reusche said.
While there is debate about whether children — who tend to experience milder infections — would be safer in school than in other settings, Rubin said, “we need to get control of this." Some hospitals could be overrun if the virus isn’t contained, he said.
The PolicyLab is recommending that schools in and around Philadelphia, South Jersey, and even across Pennsylvania that are operating in person shift to virtual instruction by Monday. There’s “some wiggle room” for schools that might continue to offer in-person learning to younger children, or special-needs students, Rubin said. And while CHOP is recommending that schools stay closed until after New Year’s, schools in areas with lesser hospitalization rates could bring students back in early to mid-December.
Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine said earlier this week that the state did not plan to order school closures as it did in the spring.
Rubin said he thinks the situation “has reached the magnitude” where Gov. Tom Wolf needs to intervene.
"close" - Google News
November 12, 2020 at 12:15AM
https://ift.tt/3ltmpEE
CHOP recommends Philly-area schools close amid coronavirus surge: ‘We are in a catastrophic situation’ - The Philadelphia Inquirer
"close" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2QTYm3D
https://ift.tt/3d2SYUY
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "CHOP recommends Philly-area schools close amid coronavirus surge: ‘We are in a catastrophic situation’ - The Philadelphia Inquirer"
Post a Comment