As Threat of Omicron Variant Looms, School Closures Continue Ticking Upward
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Correction appended
Even before the Omicron coronavirus strain was designated a new "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization on Friday, the number of school closures was already on the rise. Last week alone, 621 schools across 58 districts announced closures due to various reasons such as teacher burnout, staffing shortages, and virus outbreaks. These figures, provided by Burbio, a data service that has been monitoring school policies throughout the pandemic, indicate that since the beginning of the academic year, 9,313 campuses across 916 districts nationwide have experienced additional days off.
These statistics imply that nearly 10 percent of the country’s approximately 98,000 K-12 schools have faced closures this year. In Maryland, more than 30 percent of schools have been affected by at least one day of disruption during this academic year. The number is even higher in North Carolina, where over 40 percent of schools have experienced closures.
Now, schools that are already struggling to keep classrooms open may face further challenges if the newly identified Omicron variant, which has already been detected in UK schools, contributes to a winter COVID surge.
Dan Domenech, the executive director of the School Superintendents Association, emphasized that this situation will only worsen the current issues faced by districts. Many districts are already facing staff shortages, and the potential surge in cases caused by the Omicron variant will exacerbate the situation.
Earlier in November, multiple large school systems had to announce unplanned closures due to a lack of substitute teachers. This occurred as teachers took additional time off around Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. Domenech stated that school closures should always be a last-resort option that schools should try to avoid. However, in some cases, it may be the only viable choice for school leaders.
He emphasized that if staff members are on the verge of burnout and are constantly pushed, more staff will be lost, resulting in more closures and fewer students attending in-person classes.
With K-12 staff already stretched thin across the country, health experts are now working to understand the potential threat posed by the Omicron variant. Moderna’s President, Dr. Stephen Hoge, described the variant as having a "Frankenstein mix" of mutations.
In South Africa, where the Omicron variant was first identified on November 24, there has been a significant increase in cases, leading doctors to believe that it is more transmissible than previous versions of the virus. However, it remains unclear whether these cases are more severe and how effective the vaccines are in providing protection against the variant.
The South African doctor who initially discovered the variant stated that symptoms have generally been mild. However, experts caution that these observations are based on a very small sample size.
President Joe Biden addressed the nation on Monday morning, describing the variant as a cause for concern but not a cause for panic. He stated that health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, believe that existing COVID vaccines should still offer a degree of protection against the new strain, particularly for individuals who have received booster shots. However, it will take one to two weeks to obtain more precise results on the effectiveness of vaccination-induced antibodies against the Omicron variant.
Dr. Kavita Patel, a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution, explained that the current vaccines aim to generate a broad antibody response, not just variant-specific antibodies. Therefore, there is reason to be hopeful.
In response to the Omicron variant, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their guidelines on booster doses, recommending that all adults "should" receive a third shot six months after their second, rather than "may." Additionally, Pfizer-BioNTech plans to seek authorization for extra vaccine doses for 16- and 17-year-olds after initial booster data from Israel showed positive results in that age group.
While more information about the new variant emerges, pediatrician Jennifer Shu advised K-12 schools to remain vigilant to prevent in-school transmission.
At this juncture, Domenech stated that he has no knowledge of any school leaders in his network who have made changes to their safety procedures in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant.
Throughout this academic year, numerous school districts have implemented "test-to-stay" measures, allowing students who may have been exposed to the virus to bypass quarantine if they test negative for COVID on a rapid test. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Sunday that existing PCR tests accurately detect infections of the Omicron variant, but ongoing studies are being conducted to determine the effectiveness of recognizing the new strain in rapid antigen tests used in most "test-to-stay" programs.
In related news, more districts are abandoning mask mandates and embracing "test-to-stay" measures.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there have been over 1.7 million new cases of pediatric coronavirus since September, and children accounted for approximately a quarter of new infections in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. Weekly youth cases have been increasing, rising by 32 percent as of November 18 compared to the previous week, totaling 142,000 cases. However, these numbers are still significantly lower than the peak in early September, which reached 252,000 cases.
President Biden mentioned in his Monday address that over 19 million young individuals have received at least one dose of the vaccine. He also highlighted that over 99 percent of schools nationwide are currently open for in-person learning, a significant improvement from less than half that were open at this time last year.
Domenech emphasizes that the emergence of the new variant further emphasizes the need to continue efforts in boosting vaccination rates within school communities. It also increases the importance of vaccinating newly eligible children.
In his statement, he emphasizes that unless a majority of people are vaccinated and herd immunity is achieved, these variants will continue to emerge, putting children at risk of infection.
Correction: Last week, 621 schools across 58 districts announced new closures for various reasons. A previous version of the story mistakenly reported that 9,313 campuses across 916 districts had announced closures last week. Those numbers reflect the total closures since the beginning of the academic year.
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