This editorial represents the unanimous opinion of all 13 Outlook editors.
The fall 2021 semester marked a return to in-person classes, extracurriculars and events for San Mateo Union High School District students and staff. During these few months, the SMUHSD reported 97 total COVID-19 cases districtwide, seven of which were reported at Aragon. On Nov. 26, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classified a new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, which has dominated caseloads due to its high transmissibility. Since the week of Jan. 3, 2022, when students and staff returned from winter break, the District has reported 1017 new cases, 170 of which have been at Aragon. Throughout these months, the District has managed rising caseloads well. The more than 25,000 COVID-19 tests administered since returning from winter recess is indicative of the many resources the District has allocated to slowing the spread of COVID-19 on campuses. In light of the recent COVID-19 surge, the editors of The Aragon Outlook urge the District to improve communication with community members, increase student testing and continue the distribution of N95-rated masks.
“Since the week of Jan. 3, 2022, when students and staff returned from winter break, the District has reported 1017 new cases, 170 of which have been at Aragon”
With the uncertainty and distress that Omicron brings, it is important that the SMUHSD Health Services remain in clear contact with students, families and faculty. Updates regarding new policies and resources should be announced as soon as possible to maximize awareness of COVID-19 guidelines.
Because the District’s response is constantly being re-evaluated in consultation with health departments and local experts, it is important that the SMUHSD updates and consolidates its information on all platforms, including the main website, school websites and Canvas, for easy access. In addition to promptly updating the spring semester COVID-19 dashboard each week, the SMUHSD should also send cumulative weekly updates that include the total COVID-19 caseload per school as well as reminders on COVID-19 policies to parents and students.
Frequent testing is vital to gauging the spread of COVID-19 at any given location. Those with Omicron, especially fully vaccinated people, can be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. As a result, many cases go undetected without frequent screening. Though Aragon offers testing every school day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., it should expand testing hours to include slots before and after school to make it easier for students to get tested without having to miss lunch or classes.
Not only is there no separation between those who are testing routinely and those who are symptomatic or returning to school from quarantine in testing lines, but students are only informed of the test result after returning to class where they could possibly expose classmates. The lack of separation in lines may discourage students from receiving routine tests due to the risk of being in contact with exposed or symptomatic students. To combat this, we suggest the separation of symptomatic, exposed and asymptomatic individuals with three lines and social distancing markers. Students returning to class before receiving their test result unnecessarily endanger more people to COVID-19 exposure. The solution to this issue is to simply keep tested students outside of the theater until they receive their result, the system that was previously used.
“Students returning to class before receiving their test result unnecessarily endanger more people to COVID-19 exposure”
Additionally, we encourage the District to create more stringent mask requirements. CDC guidance has stressed the importance of wearing a well-fitting mask that forms a tight seal around one’s mouth and nose in order to best reduce the transmission of COVID-19. To create a safer environment, the District should continuously distribute N95 or KN95 face masks to everyone and require that students and teachers wear these masks, rather than cloth or surgical masks, during academic classes.
Communication and transparency are vital to a healthy community, especially amid the pandemic. The editors of The Aragon Outlook call on Aragon and the SMUHSD to organize guidelines and information regarding their response to the pandemic, increase testing and promote the use of higher efficacy masks more.
