News and Notes
In the News! Outdoor Lunch Petition Launched
Indoor dining during the pandemic is widely recognized as a high risk activity. The CDC, Dr. Fauci, epidemiologists, experts and the Arlington School Health Advisory Board all recommend that schools hold meals outdoors. Yet, APS has only "encouraged," but not required, outdoor dining in its schools, leaving this critical safety measure to the...
Research Round-up: New Studies on Kids, COVID, Higher Risks for In-Person School Households, and How to Reduce Risks
Recent studies have a deluge of new information about kids, COVID, and schools. Here we go on a quick round-up of some major research: .... CDC MMWR featured study: Actual number of kids infected with COVID-19 is much higher and simply under-reported. (Our note: Seems like that whole "kids don't get COVID" thing is so 2020.) Reviewed serologic...
Smart Restart on NBC National News!
We're partnering with teachers and scientists, like Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding and the Covid Action Group, to push for more federal dollars to help schools quickly implement the short-term projects recommended in the new CDC guidance on ventilation and filtration. And we were featured on national news this week, as more of our youngest students returned...
Recent Tweets and Facebook Posts
Arlington’s Hispanic Parents Association is hosting a “March of Love and Support” at noon tomorrow (2/3) at #Wakefield for kids, teachers and staff. ASHPA encourages those who come out to bring signs with messages like “Your life matters.” “I’m here for you.” “You are not ...alone.”
@alexmeshkin My 13yo just tested positive for 2nd time in SIX WEEKS. Pediatrician said "that's impossible" & became hostile when I tried to explain different variants dominant in DC at those times without cross-immunity & was a documented 2nd exposure. Doctors flying blind ...& have given up.
How a Va. Department of Education error may impact school systems’ ability to hire https://wtop.com/virginia/2023/02/how-a-va-department-of-education-error-may-impact-school-systems-ability-to-hire/
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-my-family-raise-money-for-my-cousins-funeral?fbclid=IwAR0L7XNXP5LJOggXx1w2oEWQjJ_s2h24qqx-1q8FmXE45_ldQuoCbDIgiWw
#Wakefield is closed for class, open for counseling services tomorrow, after another lockdown for a threat; followed the lockdown/tragic death of Wakefield student Sergio Flores.
Parents & teachers spoke pointedly tonight on APS accountability/leadership.
...https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-my-family-raise-money-for-my-cousins-funeral?fbclid=IwAR0L7XNXP5LJOggXx1w2oEWQjJ_s2h24qqx-1q8FmXE45_ldQuoCbDIgiWw
Listen to public comment tonight (still going) at school board for full synopsis of how @APSVirginia is run. Strategic report (check Board Docs) also outlines huge gaps in learning and suspensions for Black kids, English learners, students w/ disabilities.
...https://www.apsva.us/school-board-meetings/watch-school-board-meetings/
Happy Groundhog Day. For anyone advocating to escape the time loop, we see you.
Arlington’s failed to find a way to reduce opioid overdoses (10-30 annual deaths) for 6 years.
Now we have ~100 extra deaths a year, w/ #COVID19.
Change remains possible. Just look at the ...climate.
Groundhog day?
How many more years of COVID?
Did the groundhog say?
Or is he out with avian flu?
More evidence that ACCESS, not hesitancy, drive a growing divide between those who have “tools” ($$, paid sick leave days, and information) that enables a higher rate of vaccination — and those who don’t.
@ArlingtonDES, @ArlingtonVA, @ReadyArlington, @APSVirginia: #COVIDIsntOver
From our new paper in @PLOSMedicine - tell me the median income or % college educated of your ZIP code (in MA), and I can tell you the % of the population boosted (and to a lesser extent vaccinated). Clearly not everyone “has the tools”.
FDA says it’s removed the positive test requirement for prescribing of Covid antiviral drugs bc “in rare instances,” people with recent exposure & symptoms may be diagnosed w Covid even w negative test result
Hey @SuptDuran: Breathing dirty air is linked to higher risk of anxiety & depression. New study finds people who lived in most polluted areas of UK, compared to least, were at ~16% greater odds for depression, +11% for anxiety.
...https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2801116?guestAccessKey=7e73695e-44c9-4d61-b97e-438e0df756eb&utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=020123
https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/01/health/pollution-depression-anxiety
1/ These homes replaced their gas stoves – saw a huge drop in indoor pollution
"Pilot program in New York, found striking differences in the levels of harmful indoor chemicals after the switch"
https://t.co/UBnH3OyCqD
So the website at @cvspharmacy says they require a recent blood test before giving you Paxlovid, in addition to a COVID test. And if you’re on Medicare or Medicaid, it’s just a no. And it will cost you $60 to tell you that you don’t qualify, too. So much for “we have the tools.”
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-fda-removes-covid-test-requirements-pfizer-merck-pills-2023-02-01/
Smart Air is all about affordable #cleanair so when we started hearing the buzz about the very low-cost Taotronics, we were intrigued (and excited!).
What clean air could be even cheaper...?
A thread 🧵 /1
Clinicians and policy makers should be aware of the continued risks for this patient group. Targeted measures such as additional vaccine doses, pre-emptive and early treatments, and non-pharmaceutical interventions eg masks and social distancing can still help this group.
9/
Across the first four major waves of the pandemic in the UK, 14% of patients who were hospitalised with COVID-19 had some kind of compromised immune system.
Immunocompromised patients had a 44% higher risk of death in hospital than patients with normal immune systems.
3/
It would be FANtastic, @DFisman! I might even have to come back to where my career started to help out. 😉. 👇🏻 https://t.co/UoZYeZL0IW
How great would it be if we could get architects, engineers and public health and education professionals to get together in Toronto and support a community effort on Corsi-Rosenthal boxes that includes design and fun aesthetics.
@UofT_dlsph @uoftengineering @OCAD @torontomet
