AISD's (and other districts) Plans for Schools Starting August 18

[smoky 840]

COVID Delta exposure/testing inquiry (and SIAP):
My kid’s principal advised that the exposure in his class occurred on Friday. I’m not sure how they determined that, but in any event, if we want to test him, is it okay now, or wait a couple days? He hasn’t shown any symptoms.

Probably because the sick kid wasn't in class yesterday, but was on Friday?

No need to test until symptoms present. And even then it's supposed to be a couple days later. If you test now, you'll probably just get a negative.

[ballrific 215]

Has anyone used the at home rapid tests with any success?  I guess you'd only know if you followed with a PCR.  False negatives is a problem I hear

[LurkingHorn 1066]

My kids are not in school yet but I'm tracking our local school district (HEB ISD). No mask mandate. 

Week 1 (short week) confirmed positives: 28 students, 14 teachers

Week 2 confirmed cases: 158 students, 20 teachers

[Guest Lobo]

Yeah, our Abbott test says in no uncertain terms, 15% chance of false negatives, but only 5% chance of false negatives (so that's something).  But yeah, we did at-home on Saturday (5 day after contact-traced exposure) and came up negative (I'd like to think I administered it correctly).  Followed up with industrial-strength test at Walgreen's on Monday to get some additional verification.  Good news is a lot of that 15% is from poor testing administration.  Be sure to get the drops in the hole (that's what she said) really accurately.  And be careful when you take the strip off the adhesive gel that'll eventually hold the test shut---it comes off super easily.

I guess I'm fine with the Abbott test from HEB 2-pack.  We'll need them probably every other week for months.  But if there's another one out there you can order by mail or whatever, that has a markedly better record against false negatives and aren't insanely more expensive---please share here.  I was starting to feel a bit better after the negative tests and seeing the teachers had "Upped" their protocol/distancing game a bit.  But then this morning the report for last week came out across the district.  I don't know if it'll always be like this, but they made it a point to say this is for "last school week"..."does not include weekends and school holidays."  

So for our first week, in a district of just 7,900 kids (not even one of the 200 largest in Texas, I think it's only the 4th largest in Austin)...68 total cases.  In only three fucking days of class + a meet the teacher morning before.  20-25 cases per day ain't good, Bob.  90% of the cases were in K-8, which at least suggests the older kids are doing their part by getting vaccinated.  The little kids are gonna bear the brunt of this (and a handful of staff).  We just got our fourth "based on your child's classroom, specials, spanish class, and bus route...they have been in direct contact with a Covid-19 positive student."  That's fun, 4 alerts in 4 fucking days of school.   

But I guess we need another anti-mask mandate rally, that should fix this...

Edited August 24, 2021 by Lobo

[Wulaw Horn 19138]

8 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Yeah, our Abbott test says in no uncertain terms, 15% chance of false negatives, but only 5% chance of false negatives (so that's something).  But yeah, we did at-home on Saturday (5 day after contact-traced exposure) and came up negative (I'd like to think I administered it correctly).  Followed up with industrial-strength test at Walgreen's on Monday to get some additional verification.  Good news is a lot of that 15% is from poor testing administration.  Be sure to get the drops in the hole (that's what she said) really accurately.  And be careful when you take the strip off the adhesive gel that'll eventually hold the test shut---it comes off super easily.

I guess I'm fine with the Abbott test from HEB 2-pack.  We'll need them probably every other week for months.  But if there's another one out there you can order by mail or whatever, that has a markedly better record against false negatives and aren't insanely more expensive---please share here.  I was starting to feel a bit better after the negative tests and seeing the teachers had "Upped" their protocol/distancing game a bit.  But then this morning the report for last week came out across the district.  I don't know if it'll always be like this, but they made it a point to say this is for "last school week"..."does not include weekends and school holidays."  

So for our first week, in a district of just 7,900 kids (not even one of the 200 largest in Texas, I think it's only the 4th largest in Austin)...68 total cases.  In only three fucking days of class + a meet the teacher morning before.  20-25 cases per day ain't good, Bob.  90% of the cases were in K-8, which at least suggests the older kids are doing their part by getting vaccinated.  The little kids are gonna bear the brunt of this (and a handful of staff). 

But I guess we need another mask mandate rally, that should fix this...

Why are you testing her if there are no symptoms? This isn't meant snarky, just curious on the thought process.  She's like 6, right?

[MonkeyDoughnut 10331]

17 minutes ago, ballrific said:

Has anyone used the at home rapid tests with any success?  I guess you'd only know if you followed with a PCR.  False negatives is a problem I hear

I mean they work, but as Lobo pointed out they aren't perfect. They don't recommend being used unless you are having symptoms. For our family its more of something we would use if we think we might have COVID as a first immediate check to limit further exposure. If symptoms didn't clear or got worse or quick test came up positive we would then go get a PCR test.  I do feel like a lot of the false negatives might be due to timing which is why they sell in a 2-pack and state they should be used 36 hours apart to confirm one way or the other.  It does give some piece of mind.

[Newdoc 3448]

14 minutes ago, LurkingHorn said:

our local school district (HEB ISD).

Damn. They make their own ice cream and now they’ve started a school?

[South Austin 52523]

1 minute ago, Newdoc said:

Damn. They make their own ice cream and now they’ve started a school?

Their ISD is never open.

[1978horn 894]

Why are you testing her if there are no symptoms? This isn't meant snarky, just curious on the thought process.  She's like 6, right?

Because an asymptomatic person can still transmit the virus. We need to limit transmission as much as possible. If someone has close contact per the CDC guidelines then they should test.

[Newdoc 3448]

Antigen testing an asymptomatic kid is not optimal. Ask your doc but I usually recommend waiting for symptoms (any symptom). You can clear someone from quarantine at day 7 with antigen or pcr but ymmv on accuracy.

[atomheartbevo 89758]

https://www.kxan.com/news/education/10-of-leander-isd-parents-opt-children-out-of-mask-requirement/
 

Quote

Leander Independent School District says about 10% of parents have chosen to opt-out of having their children wear masks at school.

The district provided an update on COVID-19 in its school during the school board meeting Monday night. According to the district’s dashboard, they have 383 total positive cases among students and staff about a week and a half after starting school

Quote

Leander ISD also approved eight days of leave for staff members who test positive for COVID-19.

 

 

[Wulaw Horn 19138]

1 minute ago, 1978horn said:

Because an asymptomatic person can still transmit the virus. We need to limit transmission as much as possible. If someone has close contact per the CDC guidelines then they should test.

see post below (and one a little further up) and see two docs saying wait for symptoms before test.  There's a lot of things with this virus that seem possible but not really likely, and asymptomatic spread by a little kid seems really far down the list of concerns. Couple that with the sort of low likelihood of her actually catching it at that age, from someone else that age that's shedding a pretty low viral load and not in all that intimate a contact type situation and you are looking at what- 1/1000 that she becomes a transmitter?  1/10,000? Are those numbers off? I'm not certain on them I'd like to see anyone else's back of the envelope math on this for sure.  It's my biggest point of curiosity in this whole thing- what are the actual risk factors, and how much does behavior move those risk factors, and what are those absolute numbers.

[Guest Lobo]

14 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Why are you testing her if there are no symptoms? This isn't meant snarky, just curious on the thought process.  She's like 6, right?

She's been very "coughy" in the mornings.  Happens to her a few times a year.  Doesn't look like any allergies are spiking right now.  Wouldn't think anything of it any other year, but considering the daily "your child has been in close contact..." emails, figured it wouldn't hurt to test her.  I think you're supposed to hold out for 2+ symptoms, but it seemed prudent between the the cough and the shit blazing through her little corner of campus.

[Wulaw Horn 19138]

1 minute ago, Lobo said:

She's been very "coughy" in the mornings.  Happens to her a few times a year.  Doesn't look like any allergies are spiking right now.  Wouldn't think anything of it any other year, but considering the daily "your child has been in close contact..." emails, figured it wouldn't hurt to test her.  I think you're supposed to hold out for 2+ symptoms, but it seemed prudent between the the cough and the shit blazing through her little corner of campus.

Gotcha.  Possibly not asymptomatic.  Makes sense.  Most kids that have this at her age it can be confused with a cold is my understanding (remember- even with kids admissions being higher with the new strain the percentage of kids that get this and get really sick is still really low), so if she's got a low grade cough or sniffles that could be the 'Rona for her. 

Was just reading that basically in asymptomatic kids the viral load is lower and there's a good chance you get a negative on a rapid test vs a more precise tests:

 

Rapid tests vs. PCR

The authors also point out that the levels of the virus they found in the asymptomatic children were mostly lower than the levels that the available rapid antigen tests are able to detect.

“It is important to recognize that rapid antigen tests are less sensitive than the PCR tests used in hospitals, and that many of the asymptomatic kids in our study likely would have tested negative using the rapid tests based on our understanding of the limits of detection of those tests,” says Pollock. “Our findings should raise caution about using low sensitivity tests for asymptomatic screening programs in pediatric populations.”

The team hopes this study encourages other studies to better understand the viral loads in asymptomatic children — particularly peak viral loads early in infection

[GreenspointTexas 9662]

I hate to say it, but a lot of this is “toothpaste already outta the tube.” 
 

 

[elguapo 4586]

15 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

https://www.kxan.com/news/education/10-of-leander-isd-parents-opt-children-out-of-mask-requirement/
 

 

 

One of the LISD admin shared in the board meeting last night that they were told by Wilco that there is one open PICU bed in the county, I'm thinking another school shutdown is imminent.

Edited August 24, 2021 by elguapo

[1978horn 894]

9 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

see post below (and one a little further up) and see two docs saying wait for symptoms before test.  There's a lot of things with this virus that seem possible but not really likely, and asymptomatic spread by a little kid seems really far down the list of concerns. Couple that with the sort of low likelihood of her actually catching it at that age, from someone else that age that's shedding a pretty low viral load and not in all that intimate a contact type situation and you are looking at what- 1/1000 that she becomes a transmitter?  1/10,000? Are those numbers off? I'm not certain on them I'd like to see anyone else's back of the envelope math on this for sure.  It's my biggest point of curiosity in this whole thing- what are the actual risk factors, and how much does behavior move those risk factors, and what are those absolute numbers.

Sure, rapid tests are never going to be as accurate.

I'm 90% sure that we got it last January from my asymptomatic daughter who was contact traced at school.  The rest of the family got it and we were in bed for the next 1.5 weeks while she just did her thing with nothing appearing wrong.  We have been pretty careful and have a bubble of other families that we hang out with and none of them got it, so the only place I can think we got it from is my daughter who was asymptomatic the whole time.  Or that one time I went to HEB and passed a bunch of people and weren't around any of them for 15 min.  The asymptomatic transmission seems more likely.

[Wulaw Horn 19138]

2 minutes ago, 1978horn said:

Sure, rapid tests are never going to be as accurate.

I'm 90% sure that we got it last January from my asymptomatic daughter who was contact traced at school.  The rest of the family got it and we were in bed for the next 1.5 weeks while she just did her thing with nothing appearing wrong.  We have been pretty careful and have a bubble of other families that we hang out with and none of them got it, so the only place I can think we got it from is my daughter who was asymptomatic the whole time.  Or that one time I went to HEB and passed a bunch of people and weren't around any of them for 15 min.  The asymptomatic transmission seems more likely.

How old was she? (no- not asking for pics)

[1978horn 894]

1 minute ago, Wulaw Horn said:

How old was she? (no- not asking for pics)

She was 11 at the time.

[Guest Lobo]

5 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Gotcha.  Possibly not asymptomatic.  Makes sense.  Most kids that have this at her age it can be confused with a cold is my understanding (remember- even with kids admissions being higher with the new strain the percentage of kids that get this and get really sick is still really low), so if she's got a low grade cough or sniffles that could be the 'Rona for her. 

Was just reading that basically in asymptomatic kids the viral load is lower and there's a good chance you get a negative on a rapid test vs a more precise tests:

I realize statistically it's the 'Rona.  There is also RSV cough blazing around the our part of town as well.  She has no other symptoms but that one, wouldn't have bothered with a test but for all the CDC alerts from the Principal.  

Yeah, pro tip for parents do self-tests at home.  If there's a time of day when your kid is particularly snotty (wake-up time, after a shower, after being sweaty outside, etc.).  Do the test then, you'll get enough on the swab to get a good reading.  As stated, a lot of these tests are coming back with false readings either way because the kid's viral load is too low for the test to pickup accurately.  /protip

[Wulaw Horn 19138]

1 minute ago, 1978horn said:

She was 11 at the time.

When my brothers family all got it everyone down to 11 got it (he, his wife and his eldest 3) but the 9 year old either didn't or was asymptomatic and they couldn't tell he had it. They didn't bother to test him and just acted as if he was infected with the rest of them while they laid up for 14 days or whatever the guideline was at the time.  Apparently the viral loads between 6 or 7 year olds and 10 or 11 year olds is fairly meaningful.  

Of course- 6 and 7 year olds still lick each others faces and the doorknobs and stupid shit that you'd hope 11 year olds don't do, so if it's possible I'm sure that kind of behavior doesn't help.  

I wouldn't exactly say we've been acting super concerned, but we don't have a lot of contact.  If we get it I imagine it's going to be from our kids. I work in an office by myself.  Wife is a stay at home mom.  She orders groceries from HEB, we avoid big crowds, etc.  

[elguapo 4586]

https://hillcountrynews.com/stories/breaking-public-health-officials-recommend-leander-isd-close-for-10-days-to-stop-spread-of,88679

Quote

While Leander ISD trustees heard more than two hours of public comment during a special meeting Monday night, county public health officials privately warned district personnel that the level of COVID-19 infections "is unsustainable for a school district and for the surrounding county."

In an email, obtained by the Hill Country News, Dr. Amanda Norwood, medical director for the Williamson County and Cities Health District, told LISD Superintendent Dr. Bruce Gearing that the WCCHD has "grown increasingly concerned with the amount of cases and the amount of rapid spread throughout LISD as a district this past week."

Norwood recommended that the Gearing close the entire district for 10 days.

"The incidence rate of new cases for all of LISD is [about] 135 per 100k,000, which is about 2.7 times the amount of spread in the surrounding county," she said.  "Multiple campuses for LISD have 2 or more active clusters on campus. Given known limitations in contact tracing and quarantining, we are concerned that exposed contacts will continue to convert to cases at an alarming rate this week. 43.4% of your cases are occurring in your elementary schools – the vast majority of which are in students. The entire Trauma Service Area that serves Central Texas only has 1 [pediatric] ICU bed remaining."

 

[Larry T. Spider 1746]

3 hours ago, South Austin said:

COVID Delta exposure/testing inquiry (and SIAP):

My kid’s principal advised that the exposure in his class occurred on Friday. I’m not sure how they determined that, but in any event, if we want to test him, is it okay now, or wait a couple days? He hasn’t shown any symptoms.

We go back 48 hours after the kid starts showing symptoms. Likely means the kid started showing symptoms on Sunday and was kept home on Monday. It’s obviously not going to be 100% effective but we never saw massive school spread with the system last year. Let’s see if it holds up with delta.

[hookemATL 11803]

1 hour ago, Lobo said:

She's been very "coughy" in the mornings.  Happens to her a few times a year.  Doesn't look like any allergies are spiking right now.  Wouldn't think anything of it any other year, but considering the daily "your child has been in close contact..." emails, figured it wouldn't hurt to test her.  I think you're supposed to hold out for 2+ symptoms, but it seemed prudent between the the cough and the shit blazing through her little corner of campus.

This is my life atm. 

[hookemATL 11803]

43 minutes ago, elguapo said:

https://hillcountrynews.com/stories/breaking-public-health-officials-recommend-leander-isd-close-for-10-days-to-stop-spread-of,88679

 

Time to brush up on my 1st grade curricula. 
 

“Ok kiddo…we will start with King Leopold’s Congo genocide then work our way through some lesser atrocities.”

[Guest Lobo]

I got some blowback on our nextdoor page for school-age kids' parents.  Over the summer when these white women weren't busy day drinking, they had time to bitch and moan about DEI/CRT.  Now the conversation has obviously shifted to Covid-19/Delta blazing through the schools.  Invariably turns into a shitshow but once in awhile, a parent who is also a physician or nurse or researcher or whatever will chime in with something useful.  

Well somebody had to bring up how if your kid's not old enough for the vaccine, or you choose not to get your older child the shots...then look into the horse deworm paste ivermictin (sp?).  I sarcastically chimed in and said "enough about the horse paste, we didn't want Diversity Equine Inclusion in our schools because it could lead to Critical horseRace Theory."  Played well to most but got come bitchy notes from parents who don't think that alternative therapies for Covid nor CRT curricula are anything to joke about.  Kinda helpful to know who the avoid the hell out of at the in-person parents events next year.  If we don't keep a sense of humor about this shitshow, we'll never get out alive.  

[smoky 840]

We go back 48 hours after the kid starts showing symptoms. Likely means the kid started showing symptoms on Sunday and was kept home on Monday. It’s obviously not going to be 100% effective but we never saw massive school spread with the system last year. Let’s see if it holds up with delta.

If the child didn't start showing symptoms until Sunday night, wouldn't that mean no one else in the class needs to quarantine?

[Red Six 131]

2 hours ago, Anastasis said:

LTISD in their first full week of school. 32 total cases among students.  15 at the HS, 5 across the three middle schools, and the remaining 12 spread across the seven elementary school (three of them accounting for 9 of the cases). 

They called an emergency school board meeting for Thursday night regarding covid-19 safety measures.

I wouldn't be surprised if they fall 4-3 on requiring masks. Which way, I'm not sure.

All I know is that I reinforced to my elementary daughter this morning that she needs to keep her mask on at school, because there are some parents who think giving their kids horse medicine will cure covid.

[Grasshopper 4]

Red Six, I had that same conversation w my Dripping Springs kid. She looks at me like I had to heads. Then she realized I was serious. I bet we have horse medicine folks than you do!

[Larry T. Spider 1746]

39 minutes ago, smoky said:

 

 

If the child didn't start showing symptoms until Sunday night, wouldn't that mean no one else in the class needs to quarantine?

 

Most likely yes. 

[atomheartbevo 89758]

AISD paying $250 to staff who are vaccinated before October.

https://www.kxan.com/news/education/aisd-offering-250-bonus-to-staff-who-prove-theyve-received-covid-19-vaccine/

 

[atomheartbevo 89758]

4 hours ago, elguapo said:

One of the LISD admin shared in the board meeting last night that they were told by Wilco that there is one open PICU bed in the county, I'm thinking another school shutdown is imminent.

What makes you say......oh.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/williamson-county/400-covid-19-cases-confirmed-at-leander-isd-officials-recommend-shutdown/

Quote

Williamson County health officials are recommending Leander Independent School District close for 10 days to slow the spread of COVID-19 — after over 400 cases were confirmed among students and staff.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 411 total positive cases just a week and a half into the new school year.

 

[Captainant 27690]

8 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

What makes you say......oh.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/williamson-county/400-covid-19-cases-confirmed-at-leander-isd-officials-recommend-shutdown/

[JesusSweatDuck 17784]

4 hours ago, elguapo said:

One of the LISD admin shared in the board meeting last night that they were told by Wilco that there is one open PICU bed in the county, I'm thinking another school shutdown is imminent.

 

4 hours ago, elguapo said:

https://hillcountrynews.com/stories/breaking-public-health-officials-recommend-leander-isd-close-for-10-days-to-stop-spread-of,88679

 

 

11 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

What makes you say......oh.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/williamson-county/400-covid-19-cases-confirmed-at-leander-isd-officials-recommend-shutdown/

 

LISD response - https://news.leanderisd.org/covid19_spreadandfocusonclassrooms210824/

And the source email - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1et7Fcv_tWxN_aAykTPH9eH4ZP3iSLeAI/view

 

The insane are running the asylum.

[JesusSweatDuck 17784]

Also, here's the raw data for LISD positive cases - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zyEfyCwd061b92EK_Pzk7cGw0y04u5s4Bk1XjXKMlJM/edit#gid=0

[Radical Larry 28656]

[The Dog 44073]

12 minutes ago, Radical Larry said:

 

quick and dirty back of napkin math. Cases per 100 (students + staff from Texas Tribune data):

[hookemATL 11803]

LISD REPRESENTTTTTTTT.  FUCK ALL YALL BITCHES.

 

 

 

 

 

*i may be a bit on edge after two days of keeping my kid home.  mea big gulpa.*

[JesusSweatDuck 17784]

16 minutes ago, Radical Larry said:

 

 

1 minute ago, The Dog said:

quick and dirty back of napkin math. Cases per 100 (students + staff from Texas Tribune data):

[JesusSweatDuck 17784]

Just got a close contact exposure notice for my 11 yo.  Happened on the 19th though, so what the fuck is the point of tracing.  Too late now to limit the damage.  Getting him tested this evening.

[ZB'Tejas 593]

6 minutes ago, The Dog said:

quick and dirty back of napkin math. Cases per 100 (students + staff from Texas Tribune data):

Hays doing pretty solid for no mask mandate

[Don Johnson 4754]

8 hours ago, South Austin said:

COVID Delta exposure/testing inquiry (and SIAP):

My kid’s principal advised that the exposure in his class occurred on Friday. I’m not sure how they determined that, but in any event, if we want to test him, is it okay now, or wait a couple days? He hasn’t shown any symptoms.

Can his 10 day quarantine be shortened?  Is he even required to quarantine by HP?  This is a quite confusing bullet point to me, Pg 8:

Students who are exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19 will not be required to quarantine. The CDC recommends anyone who is not vaccinated and exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19 should self-isolate.

https://4.files.edl.io/4beb/08/16/21/141434-cd5ec38b-498e-4a2c-9a6c-3b78e6c4be44.pdf

Are you quarantining him from life in general?  If so, I believe there is a positive to getting a negative test on day 5 (wednesday in your case).  He could be out of quarantine by the weekend.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html

You may be able to shorten your quarantine

Your local public health authorities make the final decisions about how long quarantine should last, based on local conditions and needs. Follow the recommendations of your local public health department if you need to quarantine. Options they will consider include stopping quarantine

• After day 10 without testing
• After day 7 after receiving a negative test result (test must occur on day 5 or later)

Edited August 24, 2021 by Don Johnson

[JesusSweatDuck 17784]

4 minutes ago, ZB'Tejas said:

Hays doing pretty solid for no mask mandate

Wasn't Hays one of the last districts to start?

[Pescado_Rojo 19427]

27 minutes ago, Radical Larry said:

 

Leanderthals. (And my kids are in the district.)

[The Dog 44073]

3 minutes ago, JesusSweatDuck said:

Wasn't Hays one of the last districts to start?

one day after RRISD on 8/19, so there might be some reporting delay but still they hanging in there. 

[utee94 15835]

11 minutes ago, JesusSweatDuck said:

Wasn't Hays one of the last districts to start?

Yeah, Leander looks like a shit show, but it also started one full incubation period before any other district in the area.  

So if in-school spread is happening more this year than last (and it appears that it is), then the other districts will be nipping at Leander's heels, just about a week behind.

 

7 minutes ago, The Dog said:

one day after RRISD on 8/19, so there might be some reporting delay but still they hanging in there. 

One full week after LISD.  Hang on to your hat...

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by utee94

[Larry T. Spider 1746]

The reporting delays are usually from parties outside of school. I found out one of my kids was exposed at daycare a week after the fact. Daycare worker took a couple of days to report, then the daycare took a day to report then the parents took a couple of days (it was the weekend), and I end up knowing a week later.

[CooterBrown 18015]

Hays doing pretty solid for no mask mandate

If you don’t test, there’s no problem.

[Eastwood 4394]

For comparison's sake, NEISD in San Antonio had 291 students and 161 employees pop last week. 268 of the 291 were in the first 3 days and 148 of those cases were elementary school children.

[Anastasis 23480]

1 hour ago, The Dog said:

quick and dirty back of napkin math. Cases per 100 (students + staff from Texas Tribune data):

LTISD would be @ 0.277 per 100.