General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: What the Data Says About Pandemic School Closures, Four Years Later [View all]limbicnuminousity
(1,407 posts)Quarantines, properly imposed, work when imposed on the basis of potential exposure rather than established symptomology.
The goal (as far as virologists were concerned) was slowing the spread. Staggering the spread was important in terms of reducing the strain on the healthcare system. The healthcare system was already strained beyond capacity as is. Delaying the spread allowed time for vaccine development to occur.
As of 2020 the the R0 of Covid was estimated to exceed 2 meaning approximately 2 people were infected by the average carrier. That's a generous number, there have at times during the pandemic been estimates of an R0 approaching 6. There are an estimated 50 million primary and secondary school students in the country. Assuming maximal transmission rates (unrealistic, but conveys the point) every single infected student could theoretically result in about 60,0000 new infections within a ten day period.
And people think sticking 50 million potential vectors in a plague-breeding ground wouldn't have made a difference? Please.