It’s Time to Close New York City’s Schools

Public Safety is at risk – the Time to Act is Now

New York City has scores of confirmed cases –
There has been absolutely minimal testing –
No one has acquired immunity –
There are probably hundreds of actual cases

The NBA, the NHL, the NCAA, MLB
New Rochelle, Yonkers, Bergen County, all of Maryland
Gatherings of 1000
But NYC Public Schools congregate hundreds and thousands of children and adults each day
Keeping NYC schools open sends 1,000,000 children and 100,000 adults into the subway and on to buses twice each day.

Shutting down schools, other forms of social distancing, even lockdown –
these slow the spread
these allow healthcare workers to respond adequately
Why, with only 100 cases in NYC, 300 in NYS?
Because the real number is much higher, and because the numbers are growing rapidly.

Countries that have controlled the virus have done it with lockdowns.
Each day earlier a lockdown starts, with exponential growth, reduces the total number of cases by a lot.
Those places that locked down earlier had better results.

Schools provide meals to kids.
De Blasio has to figure out how to distribute meals with schools closed.

Use the weekend to figure it out. And close schools today!

The safety of eight million New Yorkers is at stake.

On rate of transmission, and lockdown:  https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca

On the load on healthcare systems: https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/10/simple-math-alarming-answers-covid-19/

Council Speaker Corey Johnson’s statement:  https://council.nyc.gov/press/2020/03/12/1875/?emci=931f8484-a464-ea11-a94c-00155d03b5dd&emdi=a27c2d46-af64-ea11-a94c-00155d03b5dd&ceid=1856030
“Large-scale school closures should be considered, and a decision needs to be made before the end of this week. We must have a plan in place to make sure services continue for families who rely on our schools to provide meals and medical and other crucial services. “