As Wisconsin school buildings re-open, what should parents consider? — 2/24/21

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Today we highlight a WPR story about what parents should consider as they weigh sending their children back to reopening school buildings at this stage of the pandemic.

“There are the children’s needs as students, like specialized services for those with learning differences that might work better in person, individualized attention and a relief from the screen fatigue that can make it difficult for some to focus,” Madeline Fox reports. “There are also their needs as children, such as socializing in-person with their classmates, seeing other trusted adults and getting easier access to wraparound services like school psychologists, school lunches and school nurses. Then, there are the families’ needs. Some rely on the child care school provides.” 

Fox’s story rounds up a list of questions parents can ask as they aim to balance “vigilance and unnecessary panic.”

Top Stories 

Wisconsin teachers will be eligible for the vaccine starting Monday — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 

More schools are returning to in-person learning. How do you decide to send your child back? — WPR 

Northeast Wisconsin races to improve rural broadband after pandemic exposes ‘horrible’ internet speeds — Green Bay Press-Gazette 

State lawmakers defy governors in a Covid-era battle for power — The New York Times 

The growing evidence that the Covid-19 vaccines can reduce transmission, explained — Vox

Winnebago County scraps local mask order that would go in effect if statewide mandate is overturned — Oshkosh Northwestern 

FDA says single-dose shot from J&J prevents severe COVID — Associated Press 

Public Health drops complaint against dance studio, will incorporate allegations into counterclaim in related lawsuit — Wisconsin State Journal 

What are we missing? And how are you coping? Help us provide critical information and accountability by filling out this form or emailing us at tips@wisconsinwatch.org.

Quotable

Data to note

Here’s a look at the Department of Health Services’ vaccine dashboard, which shows that 48.1% of Wisconsinites ages 65 and older have gotten at least one dose — as have 14.2% of the state’s overall population. Racial disparities persist in distributing vaccines. The shares of Black, Hispanic and Native American residents to receive a dose remain significantly below that of white residents.    

Public health officials continue to urge Wisconsinites to wear masks and practice physical distancing until vaccinations are more widely distributed. 

WisContext offers this visualization of Wisconsin COVID-19 infections and deaths.

Calculate your exposure risk

In Wisconsin, even small gatherings can carry a risk of exposure to the coronavirus, according to a nationwide tool that estimates the danger by the size of gathering and county in which it is held. Data scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Stanford University developed the tool, which you can find here. 

Resilient Wisconsin

People helping others and showing resilience during this time of anxiety. Send suggestions by tagging us on social media — @wisconsinwatch — or emailing us: tips@wisconsinwatch.org. 

Support centers: Madison’s neighborhood and community centers step up as pandemic drags on — Cap Times 

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As Wisconsin school buildings re-open, what should parents consider? — 2/24/21 is a post from WisconsinWatch.org, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.