Because I quoted the part that was relevant to the piece I was speaking to. That's how quotation works. You've gotta be the dumbest yambag on this site. And that's saying something.
This underlines the importance of having children vaccinated if they are attending school... Incidence of COVID-19 was eight times higher in unvaccinated vs. vaccinated students https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-02-incidence-covid-higher-unvaccinated-vaccinated.html Unvaccinated students had eight times the incidence of COVID-19 infection compared to vaccinated students in a North Carolina independent school, according to a study by the ABC Science Collaborative appearing online Feb. 22 in the journal Pediatrics. Researchers analyzed COVID-19 data from more than 1,100 students in grades 6–12 from Aug. 1–Nov. 12, 2021. During the study period, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classified COVID-19 county transmission as high, and the delta variant constituted more than 99% of infections in the region. School policy required universal masking indoors after Aug. 9, 2021. The school's ventilation system used upgraded air filters but did not install high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. Physical distancing was minimal, and there was no routine surveillance testing of students or staff. As of November 2021, the school reported 829 (73.5%) students in grades 6–12 were vaccinated and 299 (26.5%) were unvaccinated. Twenty unvaccinated students reported a COVID-19 infection during the study period, compared to seven vaccinated students. Among the unvaccinated students who tested positive for COVID-19, 16 were symptomatic, compared to five of the vaccinated students. Of the 27 infections, only two were classified as within-school transmissions, both a result of unmasked exposures to unvaccinated cases. Vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 infection in this study was 88%, providing evidence that vaccination is a critical component of safely continuing in-person education. Unvaccinated students had eight times higher incidence of documented COVID-19 infection. Less than 1% of vaccinated students reported infection. "These findings indicate that vaccination, along with other school-based safety measures, such as masking, play a critical role in minimizing transmissions within schools and keeping students in school," said Ibukun Kalu, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine. "As school districts lift universal masking policies, being vaccinated becomes the strongest tool to prevent COVID-19 in students. Providence Day School student Pavan Thakkar, in partnership with the ABC Science Collaborative, conceptualized and designed the study, drafted the initial manuscript, reviewed and revised the manuscript, designed the data collection instruments, collected data, and carried out the initial analyses.
Covid over the past two years across the globe has killed more children than all other common childhood diseases combined.
List the diseases you are calling "common childhood diseases" so we can see how many cases you consider "common". Then, if there are other diseases with as many cases that you have omitted, we can see that too.
This is the first year which many schools have re-opened without masks being required. The immediate impact has been an increase in Covid cases among children. Some schools are experiencing wide-scale outbreaks with over 20% of their students out sick. An immediate solution to reduce spread is to require masks when a large scale Covid outbreak in underway and many students are out sick -- but many schools systems are not taking this common sense precaution recommended by medical experts. Keep in mind that the intent should be to keep in-person school in session rather than having to cancel school for days at a time due to Covid. Requiring masks in school during a Covid outbreak would greatly reduce spread and allow classes to still be held -- improving educational results. This is a story about a school board fumbling a reasonable response and effectively failing to set standards which would keep the schools open. Cape Elizabeth High School closes for one day amid an increase in Covid-19 cases The school board voted to recommend masks instead of requiring them. https://www.wmtw.com/article/cape-e...for-one-day-amid-a-covid-19-outbreak/41795898 The Cape Elizabeth school board held an emergency session on Thursday night to address a spike in absences due to COVID-19. Over 20% of high schoolers are currently absent due to illness and over 50% of those students have COVID-19 or COVID-19-like symptoms. When 15% of the school body is absent due to illness, the Maine CDC opens an outbreak investigation. “Friday, we had 2% of our students and staff out at the high school and by today and yesterday we had around 25%," said Cape Elizabeth Superintendent Christopher Record. "It came out of the blue completely. We didn't expect it.” The school board voted to change their existing outbreak protocol, moving to strongly recommend masks instead of requiring them. “I think they're recognizing where the community is at in terms of choice and we want to give staff and students choice on whether to wear masks or not," Record said. School board members and administrators also chose to close the high school on Friday so janitors could complete a deep sanitization of the building, opting not to go to remote learning on short notice.
"Over 20% of high schoolers are currently absent due to illness and over 50% of those students have COVID-19 or COVID-19-like symptoms." "covid-like symptoms" Which could be the flu. How bout maybe doing some testing and bring some "science" to the discussion?
It is likely that a good portion of the students have taken Covid tests which were positive. You can make the assumption that the ones who have not taken Covid tests (or did not report them) would likely have Covid as well if they have similar symptoms. If there was a flu epidemic sweeping the school as well then likely this would have been reported showing a dual Flu/Covid breakout. In local schools in North Carolina --- and in most of the U.S. -- if a substantial portion of a school population is out sick then testing & information gathering is done to understand the cause. Typically the school system has very clear health department information regarding if the illness spreading across their school is Covid, Flu, RSV, or some type of stomach ailment (these are the current top 4).
It is also likely that many people want to return to masks even if flu. In fact many want a return to mask even if no one is sick.
Last school year -- the schools which required masks were able to stay in-person. For the most part the schools not requiring masks had significant issues and had to close schools regularly & go remote. This year most schools systems started the school year (even in North Carolina) not requiring masks and a good number are facing challenges. Keep in mind that Omicron Covid is much more infectious than the flu. This is why masks in school are helpful in stopping Covid spread but have less impact with the flu. Meaning that most schools never have (and never will) require masks to combat a Flu breakout -- they will likely focus on washing hands, wiping down surfaces, and urging sick students with any symptoms of the flu to stay home (as has been done for decades).