March 2, 2021 at 6:00 PM - Medical Advisory Ad Hoc Committee

Description:  We will provide an update on the vaccination plan for our staff at the meeting on Tuesday.  We are working directly with SSM/Dean on our vaccination program, and pending final availability of the vaccine, plans are moving forward.  Our vaccination clinic is scheduled for Tuesday, March 2nd for all staff, with a second dose scheduled for Friday, March 26th.

Description:  We are seeking information from the Committee on any new updates that might be available regarding vaccinations for children.

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The purpose of this agenda item is to solicit feedback from the Committee on further reopening plans. 

At the meeting on Tuesday, the District will provide a data and vaccination update for your review and information.  Further reopening of schools to more students requires both significant planning and logistics, and a lead time to ensure that it is done well.   These plans would be considered for implementation if latitude by Public Health Madison Dane County were provided regarding the social distancing requirements.

Per PHMDC Order #13 -- School Districts are required to follow "6ft social distancing to the greatest extent possible".  PHMDC has continued to define this standards as follows:

Answer: When we say, ‘6ft distancing to the greatest extent possible’, we are recognizing that students and staff may pass each other briefly or there may be certain circumstances where it is necessary to be closer than 6ft (such as a staff member working with a student or a student getting up from their seat to use the restroom). 6ft distancing to the greatest extent possible does not mean placing desks or students 3ft apart. 

If the definition or requirement to follow this standard is loosened by PHMDC, then there are opportunities for us to further return students to school.  Given that a proportion of our students have chosen to remain in remote learning (about 30%) we could have more students in-person each day.

The following articles may be of help and interest for this discussion:

The American Academy of Pediatrics posted this article about Covid-19 Guidance for Safe Schools -- https://services.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/clinical-guidance/covid-19-planning-considerations-return-to-in-person-education-in-schools/

The Wood County Wisconsin Study of 17 School Districts addresses degree of spread of COVID in schools.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7004e3.htm

Attached please find:
European CDC Report on Schools: COVID-19 in Children and the Role of Schools First Update
" Physical distancing measures should aim at decreasing the number of individuals and contacts in tight or closed spaces whilst ensuring schooling can take place. The selection of measures should consider the current knowledge of disease transmission in different age groups, and the feasibility and appropriateness of the measures for the age group, including the need to ensure learning and psychosocial development."

Physical Distancing, Face Masks, and Eye Protection
"Transmission of viruses was lower with physical distancing of 1 m or more, compared with a distance of less than 1 m (n=10 736, pooled adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0·18, 95% CI 0·09 to 0·38; risk difference [RD] -10·2%, 95% CI -11·5 to -7·5; moderate certainty); protection was increased as distance was lengthened (change in relative risk [RR] 2·02 per m; pinteraction=0·041; moderate certainty)."

Mayo Clinic Research Confirms the Critical Role of Masks-Chart
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-research-confirms-critical-role-of-masks-in-preventing-covid-19-infection/#
"I think we had some knowledge about the importance of masks and there's been a number of studies that have showed masks are effective in blocking viruses, but what's really important here is just how effective masking is when done by both parties," says Dr. Berbari."


The District has thoroughly addressed concerns about operating schools during the pandemic and has valued the input and guidance of this Committee to assist with the daily protocols and practices.  The one area that limits our ability to further return more students to school is pertaining to the area of  "social / physical distancing" .

Given our local data, district practices, and the guidance that exists within the literature, if PHMDC provided latitude to move forward with less than 6ft social distancing where necessary, what are the thoughts on the committee regarding reopening further under these provisions?

 

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