This fall, many children will resume face-to-face learning for the first time since the pandemic began. But as schools welcome students to return to the classroom, many parents are increasingly worried about their children’s safety, as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to spread.
If your children return to school this year, you may be concerned about their risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19, especially if they are not yet eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics still strongly recommends going to school in person this year, and the CDC considers it a top priority. Fortunately, during this back-to-school season, you can protect your family in many ways.
The best way to protect your children is to vaccinate all eligible family members, including children 12 years and older, older siblings, parents, grandparents, and other family members. If your child takes the virus home from school, doing so will help protect you and your family from getting sick, and prevent your child from being infected at home and spreading it to others. All three COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of COVID-19 infection, serious illness, and hospitalization.
If your child is over 12 years old, they are eligible to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which is currently the only COVID-19 vaccine authorized for use in children under 18 years of age. Research on the effectiveness and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine is currently underway in the treatment of children under 12 years of age.
If your child is under 12 years old, it may be helpful to discuss the importance of the vaccine so that they know what will happen when it is their turn to get the vaccine. Starting a conversation now can also help them feel empowered and less afraid when they have a date. Young children may feel anxious knowing that they cannot be vaccinated yet, so be assured that public health experts are working hard to provide vaccines to children of their age as soon as possible, and they have ways to continue to protect themselves during this period. Learn more about how to talk to your child about the COVID-19 vaccine here.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, many families have postponed routine check-ups and health care visits, preventing some children and adolescents from receiving their recommended immunizations. In addition to the COVID-19 vaccine, it is very important for children to receive these vaccines in time to prevent other serious diseases such as measles, mumps, whooping cough and meningitis, which can cause long-lasting health complications and lead to hospitalization and even death. Public health experts warn that even the slightest decline in these immunizations will weaken herd immunity and lead to outbreaks of these preventable diseases. You can find a schedule of recommended vaccines by age here. If you are not sure whether your child needs a specific vaccine or have other questions about routine vaccinations, please contact your provider for guidance.
In addition, since the beginning of the flu season coincides with the beginning of the school year, experts recommend that all people over 6 months get the flu vaccine as early as September. Influenza vaccines can help reduce the number of flu cases and reduce the severity of illness when someone is infected with the flu, helping to prevent hospitals and emergency rooms from being overwhelmed by the overlap of the flu season with the COVID-19 pandemic. Read here to learn more about flu and COVID-19.
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend universal use of masks in schools for everyone aged 2 years and older, regardless of vaccination status. Although many schools have established mask regulations based on this guide, these policies vary from state to state. Having said that, we urge you to consider developing your own mask policy for your family and encourage your children to wear masks at school, even if their school does not require them to wear masks. Discuss with your child the importance of wearing a mask so that even if their peers are not wearing a mask, they can feel able to wear a mask in school. Remind them that even if they do not show symptoms, they may be infected and spread the virus. Wearing a mask is the best way to protect themselves and others who have not been vaccinated. Children often imitate the behavior of their parents, so they set an example by always wearing masks in public and demonstrating how to wear them properly. If the mask feels uncomfortable on the face, children may fidget, play or tend to remove the mask. Make them successful by choosing a mask with two or more layers of breathable fabric and sticking to their nose, mouth and chin. A mask with a nasal line that prevents air from leaking from the top of the mask is the best choice.
If your child is not used to wearing a mask for a long time, or this is their first time wearing a mask in class, please ask them to practice at home first, starting with a shorter time and gradually increasing. This is a good time to remind them not to touch their eyes, nose or mouth when removing the mask and to wash their hands after removal. Asking your children to choose their favorite colors or masks with their favorite characters on them can also help. If they feel that this reflects their interests and they have a choice in this matter, they may prefer to wear a mask.
During a pandemic, your child may be worried or anxious about returning to the classroom, especially if they have not yet been vaccinated. Although it is important to acknowledge that these feelings are normal, you can help them prepare for the transition by discussing their school’s safety measures and precautions. Talking about things that may look different in the classroom this year, such as allocating lunch room seats, plexiglass barriers, or regular COVID-19 testing, can help your children know what will happen and alleviate their concerns about their own safety.
Although vaccines and masks have proven to be the most effective tools to prevent the spread of COVID-19, maintaining social distancing, effective hand washing, and good hygiene can further protect your child from getting sick this fall. In addition to the safety precautions outlined by your child’s school, please discuss with your child the importance of washing or disinfecting hands before eating, after touching high-contact surfaces such as playground equipment, using the bathroom, and after returning home from school. Practice at home and have your child wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. One technique to encourage 20-second hand washing is to have your child wash their toys while washing their hands or singing their favorite songs. For example, singing “Happy Birthday” twice will indicate when they can stop. If soap and water are not available, they should use alcohol-based hand sanitizer. You should also remind your child to cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue, throw the tissue in the trash can, and then wash their hands. Finally, although schools should include social distancing in the classroom, remind your children to keep at least three to six feet away from others as much as possible both indoors and outdoors. This includes avoiding hugs, holding hands, or high-fives.
In addition to the usual notebooks and pencils, you should also buy some extra school supplies this year. First, stock extra masks and a lot of hand sanitizer. It’s easy for children to misplace or lose these things, so pack them in backpacks so they don’t need to borrow them from others. Make sure to tag these items with your child’s name so they don’t accidentally share them with others. Consider buying hand sanitizer that can be clipped to a backpack for use throughout the day, and pack some with lunch or snacks so they can wash their hands before eating. You can also send paper towels and wet paper towels to your child to school to limit their activities throughout the classroom. Finally, pack extra pens, pencils, paper and other daily necessities so that your child does not need to borrow from classmates.
Adapting to new school practices after a year of virtual or distance learning can be stressful for many children. While some people may be eager to be reunited with classmates, others may worry about changes in friendship, having to socialize again or being separated from their families. Likewise, they may be overwhelmed by changes in their daily lives or uncertainties in the future. Although you may be concerned about your children’s physical safety this back to school season, their mental health is equally important. Check regularly and ask them about their feelings and the progress of school, friends, or specific extracurricular activities. Ask how you can help them or make them easier now. Do not interrupt or lecture while listening, and be careful not to ignore their feelings. Provide comfort and hope by letting them know that things will get better, while giving them space to fully feel their emotions without the need for criticism, judgment, or blame. Remind them that they are not alone and you serve them every step of the way.
In the past year, when many families switched to remote work and virtual learning, their daily work declined. However, as autumn is approaching, it is important to help your children re-establish a regular life so that they can perform their best during the school year. Good sleep, nutritious diet and regular physical exercise can keep your children healthy and improve their mood, productivity, energy and overall outlook on life. Ensure regular bedtime and wake-up times, even on weekends, and limit screen time to one hour before bedtime. Try to stick to a consistent meal time, including a healthy breakfast before school. You can even develop a checklist for your child and ask them to follow these checklists in the morning and before going to bed to help them develop healthy habits.
If your child has symptoms of COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status, we recommend that they keep them away from school and schedule a test appointment. You can learn more about One Medical’s COVID-19 test here. We recommend that your child stay isolated from non-family contacts until:
If you have any questions about caring for your child or your child’s symptoms, you can use the One Medical app to contact our virtual medical team 24/7.
Symptoms that should be resolved immediately and may require an emergency room visit include:
For more information about COVID-19 and children, please see here. If you have other questions about your child’s health during the back-to-school season, please contact your primary care provider.
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The One Medical blog is published by One Medical. One Medical is an innovative primary care organization in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Orange County, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and Washington With offices, DC.
Any general advice posted on our blog, website or application is for reference only and is not intended to replace or replace any medical or other advice. The One Medical Group entity and 1Life Healthcare, Inc. make no representations or warranties, and expressly disclaim any and all responsibilities for any treatment or actions performed by anyone following the blog, website, or general information provided or provided by the blog or website Or influence, or application. If you have specific concerns or a situation that requires medical advice, you should consult a properly trained and qualified medical service provider.
1Life Healthcare Inc. published this content on August 24, 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained in it. UTC time August 25, 2021 21:30:10 distributed by the public, unedited and unaltered.
Post time: Sep-01-2021