EFFECTIVE February 10, 2021
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2/17/2021 BCD Covid Awareness Bulletin - February 10, 2021
February 10, 2021
EFFECTIVE
DEFINITION: ADEQUATE TO ACCOMPLISH A PURPOSE
The light at the end of the pandemic tunnel is beginning to shine. Granted it’s still faint and a long way off, but for
those of us who want to see it, it is visible. The news of declining COVID numbers and increasing vaccination
numbers is creating a sense of hope – and hope feels good. Yet, when people talk about the vaccine there seems to
be some mixed understanding and even some confusion. According to a recent article in the New York Times, vaccine
confusion primarily centers around the use of the word “effective.” What we want to hear is that vaccinations are
100% perfect. However, what we need to hear is that they are good – VERY, very good.
In the NY Times article, author David Leonhardt does a nice job
clarifying the term “effective” in terms of vaccination statistics.
Leonhardt writes, “I assume you would agree that any vaccine that
transforms Covid into something much milder than a typical flu
deserves to be called effective. But that is not the scientific
definition. When you read that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was
66 percent effective or that the Novavax vaccine was 89 percent
effective, those numbers are referring to the prevention of all illness.
They count mild symptoms as a failure." And that influences their
"effectiveness" score.
Leonhardt further drives home the importance of understanding the
term effective using the following example: “Of the roughly 75,000
people who have received one of the five [vaccines] in a research trial, not a single person has died from Covid, and
only a few people appear to have been hospitalized. None have remained hospitalized 28 days after receiving a shot.”
To put that in perspective, Leonhardt compares statistics from a typical U.S. flu season to Covid. When considering a
population of 75,000, seasonal flu kills between five and 15 out of every 75,000 adults and hospitalizes more than
100 of them. Covid, on the other hand, will kill approximately 150 of them and send several hundred more to the
hospital.
Covid vaccines are here, and they are effective in preventing death. National, state and local health officials are
working tirelessly to make them accessible as quickly as possible. Teachers and other front facing school employees
are beginning to receive vaccinations now, and they will be available to the majority of the population in summer
2021. If you are interested in signing up to receive notification from Boulder County Public Health regarding vaccine
availability, click here. To read more about Covid facts, please visit www.covidvaccinefacts.org.
As we work towards herd immunity, it is important to remember that, Together We Are Stronger.
With gratitude,
Kath Courter
BCD COVID-Coordinator
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2/17/2021 BCD Covid Awareness Bulletin - February 10, 2021
kcourter@bouldercountryday.org
303-516-4130(direct office)
303-594-4144 (cell)
BCD'S METRICS: CURRENT CONFIRMED CASES AND COHORT QUARANTINES
As of this bulletin’s publication, we still have zero evidence of on-campus Covid spread.
I attribute that accomplishment to
partnership with you and our collective
commitment to the health and safety of
our school community. As we move into
spring and work towards “herd
immunity,” please keep our layers of
protection in place and continue to layer
mask wearing, complete daily health
screening, stay home when sick, wash
hands, practice physical distancing, get
outside, clean, and disinfect. Keep up
the good work, and say YES, PLEASE!,
to layering SWISS CHEESE.
Our Covid mitigation policies are
working!
BOULDER COUNTY MOVED TO LEVEL YELLOW ON THE DIAL.
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Many of you have asked about how changes on the dial
impact our ability to get together with others. In Level
Yellow on the dial, gatherings are limited to no more than
10 people from no more than two households – max.
That means that you could get together with one friend
from a different household, but not four other friends. To
put it a different way, a couple could have dinner with one
other couple because that would be four people from two
households. However, a couple could not have dinner with
four other couples because even though the group size is
10, the gathering would include people from 5 different
households.
REVISED SELF-QUARANTINE REQUIREMENTS - AFTER TRAVEL OR PARTICIPATION IN LARGE GROUP
GATHERINGS / EVENTS
The CDC, CDPHE, and BCPH continue to advise us to restrict travel and gatherings to help stop the spread of COVID.
As a result, we will keep our self-quarantine travel restriction in place through the end of the school year. However,
we will shorten our self-quarantine request from 14 days to 7 days (with a PCR test on day 5) or 10 days (without a
PCR test). This request applies to all students and employees who travel using public transportation (flying, Amtrak,
Greyhound, cruise ship, etc.), participate in gatherings that exceed Level Yellow restrictions, or otherwise partake in
events with a high risk of exposure.
This policy is consistent with advice from our partners at Colorado Children’s hospital and Boulder County Public
Health. It is also in line with the policies of other schools in the Association of Colorado Independent Schools.
We ask community members to use the honor system to determine if/when to quarantine. We recommend that you
review the travel recommendations on the CDC website before making any travel plans. Thank you for doing your
part to stop the spread.
QUARANTINE AFTER EXPOSURE TO COVID - WHY 14 DAYS?
BCD will continue our required 14 day quarantine requirement after a direct exposure to COVID. Here’s why 14 days
is considered to be the gold standard.
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2/17/2021 BCD Covid Awareness Bulletin - February 10, 2021
• If a person fully quarantines for 14 days, they have 0% chance of infecting others, even without a test.
• If a person quarantines for 10 days and has a negative test result, there is still a 1.4% chance that they are
actually COVID positive and
will infect others.
• Quarantining for 7 days is not advised (in school settings). If a person quarantines for 7 days and has a negative
test result, there is still a
5.5% chance (rapid test) and 4.0% chance (PCR test) that they are actually COVID positive and will infect others.
-Rapid = 1: 19 chance (after negative test)
-PCR = 1: 25 chance (after negative test)
GETTING FIT AS A FAMILY DURING A PANDEMIC
Eat healthier. Exercise more. We all know in theory how to get in
shape, but in practice it’s easier said than done. The constant
change of the pandemic doesn’t necessarily make it any easier,
but it could offer an opportunity to reprioritize healthy choices as
a family. Of course, it doesn’t happen overnight. The experts at
Children’s Hospital offer six tips for setting new and healthy
family routines and staying on track with your family fitness
goals.
COVID TESTING IN BOULDER IS REALLY EASY AND FREE!
As many of you are aware, I recently completed a 14-day
quarantine period due to direct COVID exposure. During that
time, I became a regular at Boulder’s COVID testing sites (I
joke that I was sort of like Norm from the TV show, Cheers!)
However, the experience taught me a lot.
• You only need to register once. You’ll receive a code for all
future testing.
• You don’t need a reservation – you can go anytime – as
often as you want / need (Hence the Cheers! reference -
“Kath!”)
• Testing is quick – you’ll be done in just a few minutes.
• There is nothing to fear. They do not put the swab up to your brain. It just feels like a tickle in your nose.
• The tests are PCR and considered to the “gold-standard” of COVID testing.
• Results are back quickly: generally 24 – 36 hours after being tested.
Use the links below to register at either the Stazio Fields or Boulder Fairgrounds.
Stazio Fields: 2445 Stazio Drive, Boulder
Boulder County Fairgrounds: 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont
HOW SICK IS TOO SICK?
Please remember that if a child has ANY symptom of illness, the child must stay home. Please note that these are
must stricter guidelines than we’re used to. For instance, in the past a runny nose would not necessitate that your
child stay home from school, but now it does. Below is list of illness symptoms that require exclusion:
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2/17/2021 BCD Covid Awareness Bulletin - February 10, 2021
Any ONE of the above symptoms from either list requires that a child stay home.
Additionally, a student must stay home if a member of that student’s immediate family has any major symptoms of
COVID-19. Needless to say, this pertains to school employees too.
Click here for complete How Sick is Too Sick Information.
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Unfortunately, the pandemic has had caused a dramatic impact on the mental health and wellbeing of many children
and youth. Rise Against Suicide (previously the Second Wind Fund of Boulder County) provides access to funded
counseling services for youth struggling with suicidal ideation in the geographic areas included in Boulder Valley
School District and St. Vrain Valley School District. Youths up to the age of 19 who are at elevated risk for suicide,
uninsured, or underinsured are eligible for funded counseling services through Rise Against Suicide. You can visit
their website https://riseagainstsuicide.org/.
Please remember to complete GoCanvas daily and be ready to show your completed
pass on your phone every morning. Taking the time to complete your daily health
screening is an important layer of our health and safety precautions.
Thank you for taking the time to read this bulletin. Your partnership and support is vital to our school’s collective
health and safety.
With gratitude,
Kath
TALKING TO YOUR KIDS
Here are some additional resources focused on how to talk to our kids about the virus.
Coronavirus: Keep it simple, stick to facts - how parents should tell kids
https://www.ahaparenting.com/blog/talking-with-children-about-the-corona-virus
Kids Worry More when They Are Kept in the Dark is particularly good for parents as they think carefully about how to
talk with their children.
What to Say to Your Child about the Corona Virus focuses on younger children and good for our youngest Bulldogs.
BrainPop produce this video for an elementary audience. Parents, please preview or watch with your children.
Just for Kids: A Comic Exploring the New Corona Virus, produced by NPR, is a three-minute listen.
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STAY SAFE. BULLDOGS.
MORE RESOURCES
Boulder County Public Health
Colorado Department of Health
COHELP@RMPDC.org - The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has also estatblished call line (1-
877-462-2911) to address questions from the public about COVID19. Answers are available in multiple languages.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Colorado Public Health & Environment
Boulder Country Day School 4820 Nautilus Court North • Boulder, Colorado 80301 • Phone - 303.527.4931 • Email -
info@bouldercountryday.org
BCD Student and Parent Handbook Covid-19 Addendum effective August 2020
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