Can N.Y.C. Reopen Schools? The Whole Country Is Watching

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

With about a month to go before New York City schools are scheduled to reopen, the city is confronting a torrent of logistical issues and political problems that could upend Mayor Bill de Blasio’s ambition to make New York one of the few major districts in the country to bring students back into classrooms this fall.

There are not yet enough nurses to staff all city school buildings, and ventilation systems in aging buildings are in urgent need of upgrades. There may not even be enough teachers available to offer in-person instruction.

Some teachers are threatening to stage a sickout, and their union has indicated it might sue over reopening. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who has contradicted the mayor on every major issue related to schools during the pandemic, has spent the last several days loudly noting that Mr. de Blasio’s plan is not yet complete.

And the parents of the city’s 1.1 million public school students, exhausted after nearly four excruciating months of remote learning, are desperate for answers and still unsure if they will send their children back into classrooms.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/can-nyc-reopen-schools-the-whole-country-is-watching/ar-BB17ALMb?li=BBnb7Kz

[democrattotheend]

1. Possibly

Anti-body tests a few months ago showed that about 25% of NYC residents already had the virus. I expect that percentage is even higher now. That's not the percentage needed for full herd immunity, but it's enough to substantially slow the spread if someone does have it. If the goal is to prevent any person from ever getting it again, then there's probably nowhere safe to reopen, but if we stick to the original goal of flattening the curve and spreading the infection rate over a longer period of time to prevent the healthcare system from getting overwhelmed, New York is in great shape and there's no reason we can't reopen. Granted, reopening in the city is tough because everyone rides public transit and so many places are tightly packed, but at a certain point we have to consider the long term health of the city, both medical and economic. Restaurants that have been there for 100 years are closing, crime is way up, and there's a looming eviction crisis that could devastate the poorest New Yorkers. I'm honestly concerned that NYC will go back to being what it was in the 70's and 80's if we don't reopen soon. As long as the healthcare system can handle an uptick in cases, which I think it definitely can at this point, we have to balance minimizing coronavirus against other priorities, like making sure more people don't lose their homes, their livelihoods, and their healthcare.