Here in Minnesota, we waited over a month for the governor’s decision on school openings, promised for July 31. Schools all over the state have been hemming and hawing about plans for the fall semester. Parents have waited anxiously for clarity.
Finally the date came and the governor punted.
A completely wishy-washy statement that left the decision up to local districts following state guidance. So school districts are all over the map on this. Minneapolis and St. Paul are opting for all-virtual. Some districts are taking a hybrid approach that satisfies a grand total of zero people. At least one district has opted for schizophrenia, opening elementary schools but doing online for secondary schools.
What are parents supposed to do? How can they plan? Even if a district chooses option X, parents have no assurances that option Y or Z won’t be implemented a few weeks later if conditions change. This is hard enough on wealthier families but how disruptive must it be for poorer families?
The Coronavirus Is Airborne. Keep Saying It.
In addition to visible routes of transmission like getting coughed on or touching a surface and then your face, COVID-19 can spread through the air we breathe, particularly indoors. Or more succinctly: The coronavirus is airborne. Repeat it.
Coronavirus threat rises across U.S.: ‘We just have to assume the monster is everywhere’
Many Americans may simply feel discouraged and overtaxed, unable to maintain precautions such as social distancing and mask-wearing. Others remain resistant, for cultural or ideological reasons, to public health guidance and buy into conspiracy theories and pseudoscience.
More than three million Chileans seek to withdraw pensions amid pandemic
Victoria declares state of disaster after spike in cases
The Australian state of Victoria has declared a state of disaster and imposed new lockdown measures after a surge in coronavirus infections. … Under the new rules, which came into effect at 18:00 (08:00 GMT), residents of the state capital Melbourne are subject to a night-time curfew.
Coronavirus pandemic causes another health concern — closed public restrooms
The painful truth about Covid and the economy – Trump is to blame
Lies about the economy are harder to spot than lies about the coronavirus because the virus’s grim death count is painfully apparent while the economy is complicated. But Trump’s economic lies are no less egregious, and they’re about to cause a great deal of unnecessary suffering.
@arcange