The Case For Reopening Schools (with Emily Oster)

Dr. Bob calls up Brown economist Emily Oster to discuss one of the most complicated and controversial issues of the pandemic: what to do about schools. Emily created the COVID-19 School Response Dashboard, a database that indicates that schools aren't a significant source of COVID-19 spread. She also talks about how the school debate ended up getting politicized, what it's like doing real-time data analysis, what elements need to be in place for successful school reopening, and how she’s managed her own kids during the pandemic.

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Follow Emily Oster on Twitter @ProfEmilyOster.

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Check out these resources from today’s episode:

• Find a link to the COVID-19 School Response Dashboard here: https://covidschooldashboard.com/
• Read the CDC’s new guidelines for reopening schools: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community/schools-childcare/K-12-Operational-Strategy-2021-2-12.pdf
• Pre-order Emily’s latest book, The Family Firm: A Data-Driven Guide to Better Decision Making in the Early School Years: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/639450/the-family-firm-by-emily-oster/
• Keep up with all of Emily’s work at her website: https://emilyoster.net/
• Read more about those advocating to make 3 feet the default distance between people in schools: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/11/12/three-feet-social-distancing-schools-coronavirus/
• Check out the CDC report that Bob mentions in today’s episode on the NFL’s response to COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7004e2.htm
• Learn more about Dr. Bob Wachter and the UCSF Department of Medicine here: https://medicine.ucsf.edu/

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