Possible Orange County Back to School Recommendations

Parents/Guardians of Students in Orange County Public Schools,

The CDC has  posted the following on their website concerning school reopenings.
Parents are not surprisingly worried about the safety of their children at school in the aftermath of COVID-19.  The best available evidence indicates if children become infected, they are a lot less likely to suffer severe symptoms.[1],[2],[3] Death rates among school-aged children are much lower than among adults. 

However, the health-related risks attributed to closed schools include lower rates of immunizations, higher rates of undetected child abuse and neglect, social, emotional, and behavioral health, economic well-being, and academic achievement of children, in both the short- and long-term, are well-known and significant. 

Moreover, the lack of in-person educational options disproportionately harms low-income and minority children and those living with disabilities.  The students in this category are a great deal less likely to be able to obtain private teaching and care.

Governor Gavin Newsom had given his school reopening rules but also noted that there are exemptions.
In a statement, Governor Gavin Newsom’s office noted that “There is a single exception. Local health officers may grant a waiver to allow elementary schools to reopen in-person instruction if the waiver is requested by the district superintendent, in consultation with labor, parents and community-based organizations.

When considering a waiver request, the local health officer must consider local data and consult with the California Department of Public Health."As part of the planning process, we gathered feedback from families about their preferred way to return to school. A survey completed in mid-June showed that 43% of parents prefer a return to in-person instruction; 34% prefer 100% digital learning; and 23% prefer an option that combines in-person instruction with digital learning.


If you have the choice for your student(s), please think carefully about what digital learning and in-person instruction will be like, and which might best for your child(ren). Review the information below

IN PERSON OPTION
What to expect at school…
•    Families should take temperatures daily before going to school. Anyone with a fever of 100.4 F or higher should not go to school. Students and adults also be screen themselves for breathing disorders like a cough and shortness of breath before going to school every day.
•    Periodic screenings, including unannounced temperature checks, will be performed. Students and staff with COVID-19 symptoms or a temperature of 100.4+ will be quarantined immediately and sent home.
•    All students and employees must stay home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, tested positive, or had close contact with a person with COVID-19 within the last 14 days.
•    Frequent hand washing and bringing hand sanitizer from home is recommended.
•    Cleaning/disinfecting of surfaces, frequently-touch objects, and facilities will be carried out more often.
•    Buses will be cleaned/disinfected after morning/afternoon routes.
•    The use of masks will be required. However, the wearing of masks will not be enforced for those who can't.
•    Students are discouraged from sharing books, materials, supplies, or equipment, including devices and equipment used for athletics/PE.
•    Water fountains will be sealed. Students are encouraged to bring water from home.

 DIGITAL LEARNING OPTION
•    Students who are in digital learning will have the same expectations as those attending in-school in terms of attendance, grading, and participation.
•    In general, digital learning will follow the same teaching hours as the in-person school day.

•    Students will need to have dependable internet and devices. Sharing a device is not advised since multiple students in a family would have digital lessons at the same time during the school day.

References

 1.   Zhen-Dong Y, Gao-Jun Z, Run-Ming J, et al. Clinical and transmission dynamics characteristics of 406 children with coronavirus disease 2019 in China: A review [published online ahead of print, 2020 Apr 28]. J Infect. 2020;S0163-4453(20)30241-3. doi:10.1016/j.jinf.2020.04.030
2.    Choi S-H, Kim HW, Kang J-M, et al. Epidemiology and clinical features of coronavirus disease 2019 in children. Clinical and experimental pediatrics 2020;63(4):125-32. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3345/cep.2020.00535external icon
 3.   Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Children — United States, February 12–April 2, 2020. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69:422–426.

Southern California's Housing Market Facing a Formiddable Challenge

The Southern California housing market was firing on all cylinders since the beginning of 2020, helped by low interest rates and a thriving economy.

Then the Covid-19 virus came to the US and globally. We are in a pandemic with the media reporting case counts and deaths 24/7. As a result of the fears people see all day and forced to shut down non-essential businesses in the economy, deals and escrows are being canceled. Sellers are slashing prices. Specific types of mortgage programs have been suspended until further notice.

A California Assn. of Realtors survey from early March revealed that  25 percent of agents had clients reconsider their plans to buy or sell due to the sudden eruption of the coronavirus.

A second survey was performed a week later: The agents working said the sellers who are delaying their plans had surged to 45 percent; over fifty percent had a buyer who put their plans on hold.

After that what made real estate matters worse, was the stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsome. Many agents said referrals for new purchases became nonexistent. Many identify the change to right around the time of the order.

Without question, the deterioration to the real estate market will be determined by how long the virus remains and how much economic pain it creates both through deaths and preventative measures for future viruses.

The sellers holding off may be a good things as they optimistically see this as a temporary crisis. It will certainly be interesting to see if pricing power drops once the epidemic subsides. 

At the time of the 2003 SARS virus that went on for several months in Hong Kong, Zillow's research shows the city's housing market was basically suspended. Home prices didn't drop very much, while sales volume fell like a brick as people stayed a safe distance from each other in an effort to save lives.  Once the epidemic ran its course, sales volume quickly returned to typical levels.

It's worth noting that the SARS virus was only responsible for the deaths of 774 people globally. The people who've died from COVID-19, has already exceeded 2,000 in the United States alone and 30,000 worldwide as of March 29, 2020.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has said the city could soon experience the levels of cases erupting now in New York. Newsom has announced that more than 1 million Californians have applied for unemployment benefits this month.

Zillow said the number of new listings now coming onto the market each day in Los Angeles and Orange counties is about 30% below what it was a year ago. That compares with a 4% decline at the beginning of the month.