Is It Safe To Send Kids To School During COVID-19?

With schools planning to stay open for this current school year, five days a week, parents have questions about the wellbeing and safety of their children.

There are many factors to consider, including mask regulations varying by county. It’s understandable that you want to know how to keep your child safe.

That’s why we are going over the most commonly asked questions from parents concerning school safety for their children.

Is it safe to send my children to school?

It depends on a variety of factors in the community around the school and what they are doing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Weekly COVID-19 testing, properly wearing face masks, and getting vaccinated helps minimize the risk of the virus.

However, studies show that there have been 72 outbreaks in K-12 schools out of 1,789 total outbreaks in San Diego County, causing concern for many parents considering whether to send their children to school.

We highly recommend that you check in with your local county and school district to confirm whether it’s safe for your child to go to school.

If you are still concerned, ask your local district if they plan to perform weekly testing. Schools can be hotspots for germs and getting tested can help prevent a spread before it happens.

How likely is it for my child to get COVID-19?

Children are in many cases less likely to get seriously ill from COVID-19 as compared to adults because of their higher immunity, but cases have been increasing with the new Delta variant, and caution should always be taken.

The Delta variant is much more contagious than the original virus with COVID-19 cases increasing not just for kids, but for everyone, regardless of age or vaccination status.

Does my child have to wear a mask for school?

With the recent changes in state regulations, they require all children to wear masks for school.
Wearing masks is effective in helping prevent the spread of COVID-19. This particular study showed that a school with 804,000 students attending in-person where wearing masks was mandatory saw less than one percent of the population with COVID-19.

Are there alternatives to sending my kids to school?

There are now alternatives to sending your kids to school if you still feel it’s not safe for your children.

The state requires all public schools to provide an at-home study learning experience. These are live virtual schools with live teacher instructions where students can work by themselves and have teachers check on them from time to time.

With new variants abound, it’s always better to be safe, especially when it comes to your children. We recommend consulting your local school district to find out what measures are in place to protect your children from this pandemic. And don’t forget the steps you can take at home to keep your family protected.

If you have questions concerning COVID-19 or if you are interested in setting up routine testing service for yourself or family, email us at info@covxlabs.com.