As the surge of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus continues to intensify, some Bay Area schools have been closing or shifting to remote learning. In San Francisco and Oakland, hundreds of teachers and aides called in sick for in-person classes last week to protest what they say are unsafe work conditions. Meanwhile, many parents are stumped about how best to protect their children from being infected – especially those of kids too young to be vaccinated – as hospitalizations of young people rise across the state. We’ll talk about how schools and families are coping with the omicron crisis.
Omicron Surge Leaves Families and Schools Scrambling
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A family leaves a Covid-19 testing and vaccination site at a public school in Los Angeles, California, January 5, 2022. (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
Guests:
Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, professor of pediatrics and of epidemiology and population health chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Stanford University School of Medicine
Arthur Caplan, director of the Division of Medical Ethics, New York University Langone Medical Center
Dr. Naomi Bardach, pediatrician and professor of pediatrics and health policy, UCSF; former lead, CA Safe Schools for All
Jeff Freitas, president, California Federation of Teachers
Ali Tadayon, reporter covering the West Contra Costa Unified School District and other K-12 topics, EdSource
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