We missed one chance to open schools safely. Here’s the new, more expensive, option.
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Pathei mathos — in suffering we learn. The words of the Greek tragedian Aeschylus continue to echo in my mind.
Our suffering today in America is finally teaching us that we need to fight covid-19 for real; we need to pursue not just mitigation — slowing the spread of disease — but suppression — getting back to near zero case incidence. But just because we grown-ups have had to learn from suffering doesn’t mean the kids should.
To date, all countries that have reopened schools without further outbreaks did not open until after they had achieved near zero case incidence and low community transmission rates.
This is how it could work: States that are at near zero case incidence are at what the Harvard Global Health Institute, based on common metrics agreed upon by a broad network of public health organizations, calls a “green risk level.” States that are almost completely at near zero case incidence — including Maine, Montana, Alaska and Hawaii — should reopen.
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