The Prep Enters Year 2 of Pandemic Amid Omicron Variant

St. Joe's Prep has changed dramatically over the past two years. Here is a look back at how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the Prep.

By Luke Gallagher '23

"Dear Prep Students, Parents, and Guardians, As stated in a previous communication, there will be no school for students tomorrow, Friday, March 13," wrote Principal Cavacos in a COVID- 19 Update email on March 12, 2020. "Starting on Monday, March 23, we will follow something known as 'asynchronous instruction,'" wrote Cavacos. "All students must take their Chromebooks home each night and ensure that they are in working order."

The words read all too familiar. The start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 brought upon the the city of Philadelphia, the Prep, and the world a period of change, adaptation, and growth - unprecedented, as many would begin to call it. The Prep would soon be challenged with finding a way to maintain the brotherhood between the rectangular confines of Zoom.

After suspending all sports, co-curricular activities, school-sponsored travel, and ultimately in- person learning, St. Joe's Prep was officially on lockdown effective March 18, 2020. The Prep Community said their goodbyes to 17th and Girard on Thursday, March 12th, excited for an extra day of Spring Break. No one had anticipated what was in store.

Asynchronous learning began on Monday, March 23 and was initially set to last until "at least Friday, March 27." It sure did. "Knowing that we are resilient in all things, and grounded as a community of faith - a deep trust in the loving God of history - we anticipate consolation, healing, and a return to dear 17th & Girard very soon," wrote Cavacos in his final communication to the Prep community before the school's closing on March 13, 2020. At this point, cumulative cases within the U.S. were just below 1,800. 23 months later and cumulative cases within the U.S. have reached nearly 65 million.

About two and a half months ago, the first case of the Omicron variant was cited in Botswana by the CDC and WHO on November 24, 2021. Omicron arrived in the United States just one week later on December 1, 2021 and would soon bring the United States to an all time high of 251,232 average daily cases - nearly 90,000 more than the peak of the Delta variant in mid- September 2021. Experts debated whether this sharp increase could hasten herd immunity and finally put an end to the pandemic. Regardless, the pandemic proved to still be a deadly disruptor of return to normalcy 22 months after the initial nationwide shutdown.

Come January 2022, due to the increased contagiousness of the Omicron variant, schools across the nation were forced to shut down and make the switch back to virtual learning once more for the safety of their students and because of staffing shortages due to quarantines. In the Philadelphia School District alone, 92 schools went virtual during the variant's peak. The Prep, however, was fortunate enough to be able to remain open after consulting with the Philadelphia Health Department and the City of Philadelphia.

"Omicron was a reason for concern, but I'm pleased with what we've done," said Principal Cavacos. "Since March of 2020, I think we have done an extraordinary job mitigating the risk of COVID-19... Once the vaccine was developed, that was definitely a game changer for us."

The accessibility of vaccines within the United States has undoubtedly proven to be extremely beneficial; they have allowed people across the country to regain many of the aspects of their lives which they once enjoyed more fully in a pre-pandemic era. Even more so, they have almost entirely eliminated the cancellation of events which the United States was faced with last year.

Last month, Pope Francis declared that getting vaccinated against the coronavirus was a "moral obligation." Vaccines have been proven to greatly diminish the severity of COVID- 19, resulting in a decreased likelihood of being hospitalized or dying from the virus. Due to their high effectiveness, vaccinated individuals face a decreased risk of contracting COVID-19 (known as a breakthrough infection) and spreading it. This decreased risk coupled with the milder strand Omicron is a large reason why the Prep has remained open. The risk is still not zero, however, it is one that Cavacos sees as reasonable considering the alternative of virtual learning.

"The reality is, there is a risk associated with everything - driving, influenza, and many others," said Cavacos. "We have to look at the Prep community and ask 'What is the reasonable risk for our community?'" Though vaccinated individuals still face a significant chance of infection, what it comes down to is mitigating risk as best as possible. Just as an influenza vaccine does not completely protect one from getting influenza, neither does a COVID- 19 vaccine completely protect one from getting COVID- 19 - vaccines merely allow society to carry on with their lives in as "normal" a way possible, providing the reassurance that one is doing everything they can to stay safe.

As of December 14, 2021, the CDC reports that roughly 85% of adults ages 18 and over in the United States had received at least one dose of a COVID- 19 vaccine, but 15% still remained unvaccinated. For those who are unvaccinated, the situation is very different. Despite being acknowledged as a "milder" strand, Omicron is still serious enough to cause severe illness and death for the unvaccinated. COVID has killed more than 865,000 Americans, the vast majority unvaccinated, and, in the weeks before vaccines began to be widespread distributed, COVID had become the number one cause of death in the United States - above even cancer and heart disease.

As of January 28, 2022, St. Joe's Prep recognizes an 86.8% vaccination rate among students (defined as two or more shots, not including a booster). Assuming that the school has roughly 900 students, this would mean that around 780 have received at least two vaccines. The remaining population consists of 2.0% (roughly 18) having received one shot and 11.2% (roughly 100 students) unvaccinated entirely. As for faculty, the Prep recognizes a 95- 99% vaccination rate among employees. This data was gathered from a survey sent out to students and faculty at the end of Winter Break in January 2022. The return rate for students was "well above 90%" and the return rate for faculty was universal. "There is still a risk that is inherent to our community from any virus despite vaccines. However, we also know that there is much less of a chance that people will become seriously ill [with vaccination]," said Cavacos.

Though the Prep does not mandate vaccines for students or employees out of respect of personal choice, as a Catholic and Jesuit school, the Prep supports the Church's and Pope Francis' stance on the moral obligation to get vaccinated, encouraging vaccination for all students and faculty. In late April of 2021, the school held a COVID- 19 vaccination clinic for students, while also offering teachers the opportunity to get vaccinated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Since the start of the pandemic, St. Joe's Prep has strived to find the best and most adaptable ways to protect the community amidst the many vagaries presented by COVID-19. In March of 2020, that meant going fully virtual for the remainder of the 2019- 2020 school year. In September of 2020, that meant bringing students back with a hybrid schedule, plastic barriers, oneway traffic, spread out lunches, and masks. In the Summer of 2021, this meant going mask-optional, loosening up on COVID restrictions due to lower case numbers coupled with the ability to be outside. At present, this means encouraging vaccines and remaining masked-up in the building when not eating or drinking. Due to the CDC's newest guidelines, Cavacos says that the Prep is now able to be less conscious of things like spreading students out in classrooms and are on track to slowly begin progressing back to life before the pandemic.

Though, as restrictions begin to loosen with the decline of Omicron in parts of the country, the political divide that has formed out of the pandemic - exacerbated by contentious elections and the prolonged nature of the issue - becomes crystal clear. One of the Prep's greatest challenges - a challenge that everyone around the world has encountered - is how much of a political issue COVID-19 has become. "I find myself arguing many different positions and also lending a sympathetic ear to a variety of different perspectives," said Cavacos. "I hear everything from 'we need to double mask everyone' to 'masking and vaccines are ridiculous.' My focus is to communicate to the community where the sweet spot is and where we are able to find a balance between these two voices."

From a survey of 4,411 people from January 2022

Photo: Morning Consult

Currently, the Prep is contact tracing through the implementation of seating charts in order to track exposures (defined as being within six feet for a period of 30 minutes or longer). "In the classroom setting, the students adjacent to a particular desk with a positive COVID case are potential close contacts. If the students are vaccinated, they're okay to remain in school unless they are symptomatic. Students who are unvaccinated will be asked to quarantine for five days," said Cavacos. These positive cases are tracked orally over the morning announcements, but are by no means a cumulative number. "It's just who, at a snapshot of today, is currently in quarantine," said Cavacos.

COVID has affected each and every individual in their own unique ways. At the Prep, this extends anywhere from the classroom to the sports field to the debate floor to the stage. Tracking exposures outside of the classroom in any environment (i.e. lunch, free periods, community period, athletics, extracurriculars, etc.) has been a much more difficult challenge for the Prep, however, despite this challenge, Cavacos can assure the student body that the end is in sight. "I do envision a maskless Prep in the near future," said Cavacos. "We are doing the best job we can to mitigate risk at the moment, but I do see a time when the virus will likely be less severe... and we will be able to move on maskless."

Tracking exposures has not been the only challenge that the Prep has faced over the past two years. From an athletics point of view, Mr. DiBerardinis, Athletic Director of the Prep, said, "COVID has hindered us [the athletic department] from really being able to plan and expand because we really don't know what the next six months are going to look like." DiBerardinis added, "We are constantly trying to find new and creative ways to build the best possible student experience."Tracking exposures has not been the only challenge that the Prep has faced over the past two years. From an athletics point of view, Mr. DiBerardinis, Athletic Director of the Prep, said, ?COVID has hindered us [the athletic department] from really being able to plan and expand because we really don?t know what the next six months are going to look like.? DiBerardinis added, ?We are constantly trying to find new and creative ways to build the best possible student experience.?

COVID has taken society on a journey through all aspects of what was once considered "normal." It has made clear how much in life there is to be grateful for and how the little things often spark the most joy.

"Students have this notion that high school is a place to hate - a place where they are supposed to simply punch their timecard when they get in and punch their timecard when they get out," said Mr. Ghee, Director of Student Activities and Transportation. "I think some of what the pandemic has done for us is showed our students that the Prep is a place for them to be among peers and friends, embracing the community and brotherhood that the school has to offer."

COVID has shaped the way society thinks, believes, and understands; it has shed light on the value of a growth mindset - being able to learn, to adapt, and to grow; it has underscored the importance of finding one's footing and making the tough decision in the face of any challenge. These lessons are ones that extend far beyond the classroom; they make up a chapter of the Prep's story which has never been uncovered before - a chapter that will leave students of the Prep with a greater understanding of life and all of its uncertainties than any other chapter could.

COVID By the Numbers

Data Compiled By Mr. Ronan Kelly

New Confirmed Cases Per Day (United States) Data Range: March 26, 2020 to January 30, 2022

New Deaths Per Day (United States) Data Range: March 26, 2020 to January 30, 2022

Cumulative Cases and Confirmed Fatalities

Pennsylvania: 2,656,587 total cases and 40,563 confirmed fatalities

New Jersey: 2,109,783 total cases and 31,412 confirmed fatalities

United States 75,092,910 total cases and 885,371 confirmed fatalities

World: 374,707,722 total cases and 5,657,767 confirmed fatalities

More COVID Facts

As of January 30, 2022:

- The Current Death Rate in the U.S. as of Jan 30,2022: 1 American dies every 35 seconds

- 167,000 American children have lost one or more primary caregiver

- U.S. total number of vaccine does administered: 538, 829, 920

- Percentage of U.S. population with at least 1 vaccine dose: 75.3%

- Percentage of U.S. population with at least 2 vaccine doses: 63.8%

- Percentage of U.S. population with 3 doses: 41.5%