What do you think of on-site schools in light of the delta virus variant?

I am going to enjoy outdoor things (picnics, parks, swimming and splash pads, ball games) and selected indoor activities like restaurants or grocery stores in low density and high ceiling venues as long as the transmission rates remain low. With my parents' care complete, I do not have anyone I am responsible for or to anymore and plan to spend the remainder of my life mainly doing what I want. I have one grand-nephew that may need a little extra attention due to his dyslexia for about another decade, but then I should be completely clear.

Transmission rates have been low here but have started back up in the last week with the delta variant leading the way among the non-vaccinated. Infections within the vaccinated population are extremely rare so far. The people who are needing hospitalization in our area of NE TN have changed too - they are younger and getting sicker faster than previously. I am very concerned many of our schools will become a transmission source as many have relatively low ceilings (8' or 10') and will soon be densely packed. On the other hand, so many of our children were infected last school year they may be a bit of immunity there. I decided when school starts I will begin using the front porch again for all visitors but I'm going to let the 6-year-old first-grader into the house regardless.

I've brought disharmony into my nephew's household and I regret it but I can't see what I should have done differently. My nephew does not feel he needs the vaccine. I have spoken to him about his choice but I have never discussed it with his children or in their presence. His older boys want the vaccine because they don't want their school time, ball games and practices interrupted like they were last year whenever there was contact with an infected person. My nephew allowed his boys to be vaccinated this summer. My nephew is now reluctantly getting vaccinated because of a discussion he had with his 16-year-old son about protecting the unvaccinated and older family members...

I will just be so glad and relieved when covid stops being a concern in our everyday lives!

My cousins opted not to get the vaccine for themselves and their two school aged children. Guess what? The eight year old got Covid, then it spread to her 12 year old sister and the parents. They haven’t shied away from anything. They eat out often. They go to church every Sunday, and so on. They didn’t think they would get infected.

My daughter was fully vaccinated. Everyone in her office was vaccinated. She was infected with Covid, so were a few of her coworkers. Breakthrough infections are happening in fully vaccinated people.

Covid is a crapshoot. Take a chance, if you want. I would be cautious. NPR just said that a three week old child became infected. I am not an alarmist. I am a realist. Look at the facts.

We will all be glad when this is behind us. The Delta variant is climbing in my area. I am wondering if our jazz fest will be canceled. I love our jazz and heritage festival but I am going to pass on attending this year.

I wonder what the outcome for Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival will bring. They usually have 400,000 in attendance for their four day fest.

People are anxious to get back to normal but we don’t have enough people being vaccinated. Booster shots may be in our future. States are doing lotteries to entice people. We had two winners. One for $100,000 cash and the other was $100,000 scholarship. The man who won the cash was an 82 year old retired vet and police officer. The scholarship was won by a 17 year old girl.

I'd err on the side of caution.  We still don't know everything about virus mutations, nor have we been provided with consistent information.    In addition, even the so-called experts don't always agree.  

B/c of the asthma and possibly needing oxygen supplementation, I wouldn't take a chance.  

Be safe and err on the side of caution; there are less side effects than being more open and gambling.

I had a discussion with my brother about schools the other day. My kids are all adults, but his are school aged. Dad at 92 lives with my brother in a suite in their house.

Last year the kids were in school and only the oldest has been vaccinated so far. My brother was saying that weekly they got notices about exposure events in the schools, but it was kids who had been exposed at home. There was no transmission in the schools. He is comfortable sending the kids back to school in September.

TNTechie, you have to do what is safe and comfortable for you.


My sister in law is a physician and works in a local hospital.

They take the risks around Covid seriously as do I.

From everything I have heard and read the Delta variant is more transmissible, but not as deadly, so you have to do what you feel is in your best interest.
I think it's wonderful that most schools are finally going back to in class, as the children have suffered long enough with having to do Zoom classes. And with children being the least affected by Covid, they should be able to resume life as normal. But again, you have to do what you feel is in your best interest.
Just whatever you do, don't let fear rule your life, as fear is a liar.

Only you can decide if it's worth the risk to your health and well being. No one can answer this for you. People are flawed, scientists are flawed, data can be flawed, so it's up to you to make a judgement. I just spent 6 weeks in south FL going about with no mask into public places. Traveled on the full plane (both ways) with my mask sometimes off for eating/drinking. Then, off to CA for a family reunion for a week. Again full plane coming and going, went to restaurants sometimes 2x a day and other public places. I've been home for over a week and neither I nor my hubs nor anyone in our group got sick. Hubs is not vaccinated and never has had covid. I had covid in mid March and just yesterday went for an antibody test which showed I still had some but barely. The tech said that I had a pretty good immune system with that result. So, that's barely 4 months of immunity. The tech got his shot right when they were first available for HC workers and he recently tested his immunity level and it was very strong. Since we're headed into flu season and I'll be traveling again in late fall I decided to get my first vaccine this morning. The only safe thing to do is to avoid any possibility of exposure, and even that isn't guaranteed, since I have no idea where I picked up my flu in March. Wishing you good health going forward!

Sorry, what is an isolation porch and why would kids be coming into your living space unless you mean grands.

You have very good reasons for keeping anyone away from you. Even with a vaccine, you can still get COVID. You can still spread it. The vaccine will work better for some and not for others. For you, I would have an antibody test to make sure they were produced. Some people with compromised immune systems are not producing the antibodies. New strains are coming out. In Philly, they are requiring masks when in stores again. We could all be required to wear them again.

So for you, anyone coming into ur home should wear a mask. My cousin has had his shots and is perfectly healthy. But, he is choosing to continue to follow the guidelines. Still getting groceries delivered. So yes, you should still take precautions, this is not over yet.

I don't think that AgingCare is an appropriate place to ask this question.

I will say that news from the US is once again raising my blood pressure, aside from the pandemic I just listened to another broadcast about Enbridge's line 5 that left me speculating about End Times.