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Kamala attempted to clarify what the Biden administration’s goal is regarding reopening schools for students and teachers, according to The BizPac Review.
“The CDC a few days ago finally put out some long-awaited guidance on how schools could safely reopen,” Savannah Guthrie said.
“Can you reassure teachers who are listening right now that it is safe for them to go back to school — even if they are not vaccinated — if these public health measures like distancing and masks are being implemented?” Guthrie pressed.
So first of all, let me just say this, and the president has said it, and we’re all really clear: Teachers should be a priority,” Harris said.
“Teachers are critical to our children’s development, they should be able to teach at a safe place and expand the minds and the opportunities of our children. So teachers should be a priority, along with other frontline workers, and we’re going to make them a priority.”
“But if they’re not vaccinated, is it safe for them?” Guthrie interjected.
“Well I think that we have to decide if we can put in place safe measures, this is why it’s so important we pass the American Rescue Plan,” Harris responded.
“I don’t want to beat it to death but I just, I know there are teachers listening, and the CDC has said they don’t have to be vaccinated to go back to school, of course it’s the priority…” Guthrie said.
“We think they should be a priority,” Harris replied. “We think they should be a priority. We think they should be a priority, and the states are making decisions individually about where they will be on the list of who gets vaccinated. I believe they should be a priority, the president believes they should be a priority.”
“We’re hearing a lot of conflicting stuff from the White House, especially right now about when the vaccines will be widely available, what counts in terms of reopening schools,” Tapper noted
“I think mixed messaging is a little bit of an understatement. … There’s been a lot of doublespeak.”
“It seems to be just about politics, which is this idea that they can’t seem to just give a simple answer about what the science says about when schools should reopen, and what they might want from a political perspective before that happens.”
“I think Jeff Zients … laid it out pretty clearly. It’s still puzzling to me why the president and vice president won’t say this themselves.”
Dr. Marc Siegel said, “I coined the term a year ago ‘follow the science.’ I think we’re among the first to say it, and now everybody says it, but you know what it really means? [It’s] the code word for political expediency. Follow the science if it agrees with you.”
“Follow the science if the CDC is what you wanted to say and you’re not fighting the teachers unions. Then it’s sacrosanct, but otherwise, if they’re pushing too hard, you say it’s only a recommendation, if you’re the vice president, only a recommendation, only a guideline.”
“But here’s what it actually says: Though outbreaks do occur in school settings, multiple studies have shown that transmission within school settings is typically lower than or at least similar to levels of community transmission. Well, the CDC in the same guidelines is clear: Kids don’t get sick very often, they don’t transmit it to teachers, they have very mild cases. The schools need to be open,” Siegel continued.
“So why is this political expediency occurring? Why is the [Biden administration] moving the goal post, the medical goal posts, and now hyper-focusing in on community spread when we have just read that it doesn’t spread to schools more than in the community?”
“I follow two oaths: first, do no harm, and the second one, look at the patient as a fellow creature in pain. When I see kids hunkered down in front of computer screens, their eyes growing red, unhappy, I see a creature in pain,” Siegel said.
“Pediatricians are warning that the coronavirus pandemic’s protracted disruption of in-person schooling, sports and other activities is leading to weight gain that could have long-lasting impacts on children’s health.”
