When you’re raising little ones, silence isn’t golden, it’s suspicious. And like a troublesome toddler, as we were enjoying much needed peace from the Covid pandemic, the Delta variant was making a mess in the other room.
As if back-to-school season wasn’t stressful enough!
Speaking of back to school — so many things are still up in the air. The new school year is just around the corner and we’re still wondering:
How do we prepare? Is school going to be virtual or in-person?
Mask or no mask?
So let’s go over a few of the Covid Restrictions you may encounter this school year according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and keep unwelcome surprises to a minimum!
1. Wearing a mask — even if vaccinated
Our leading organizations and policy makers are working hard to stay on top of this ever-changing situation. And, well, we’re just gonna say it — it’s hard to keep up!
Recently, the CDC issued a new guideline stating that those vaccinated can say “adios” to those masks. But the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended guidance beyond the CDC’s guidelines.
According to the Pediatric group, any child over the age of 2 should continue to wear a mask, even if they’re vaccinated.
Although this raises many questions and objections, the group based its recommendation from a desire many parents share. . .
2. A strong recommendation for in-person learning
Now for some parents, virtual learning was a breeze — and boy, are we cheering them on!
But for many parents, virtual learning was ineffective at best. Not only did children struggle to transition to online learning, but for working parents, it was downright impossible!
As Dr. Sonja O’Leary, chairwoman of the group’s Council on School Health, stated,
“The pandemic has taken a heartbreaking toll on children, and it’s not just their education that has suffered, but their mental, emotional, and physical health.”
In-person learning can offer our kiddos the routine, social interaction, and effective learning environment to thrive amidst this pandemic.
With variants arising, and many children ineligible for vaccination, requiring children to wear masks at school can help protect our kiddos and ensure in-person learning is here to stay!
Another restriction you may encounter this school year is. . .
3. Combining Layers of Protection
This falls in line with requiring masks for all students, as well as teachers and staff, but the American Academy of Pediatrics also suggested vaccinations for eligible children and maintaining clean hand hygiene.
Many schools have already included hand sanitizer, soap, Lysol, etc. as part of its school supply list to help keep classrooms safe.
As Sarah Bode, chairperson-elect of the group’s Council on School Health Executive Committees stated, “It’s important to use every tool in our toolkit to safeguard children from Covid-19.”
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! So to add a couple extra tools to your toolkit, we encourage you to:
- Follow the 5 School Safety Tips to combat both Covid and the Flu
- Keep your kiddo’s immune system safe and strong!
Now every city, state, and school district is different, so keep an eye out for specific Covid restrictions for your kiddo.
And we wish you a happy, healthy back-to-school season!
- If you’re looking for a powerhouse of immune boosting vitamins, check out Renzo’s Back to School Bundle — designed with the must-have essentials to fight germy intruders.