COVID and kids: “They’ve been flying under the radar up until now”

A recently released study on COVID and children is sparking conversation about the safety of returning to school.

THE MAN IN CHARGEOF RE-STARTING THESCHOOL YEAR INBUFFALO SAYS HEWOULD NOT LET HISCHILDREN GO BACK IFTHEY WERE SCHOOL-AGED.NIKKI DEMENTRIREPORTS ON THEONGOING EFFORT TOSEND STUDENTS"SAFELY BACK TOSCHOOL"."I CERTAINLY WOULDN'TSEND MYGRANDCHILDREN BACKOR MY KIDS IF THEYWERE STILL AT SCHOOLAGE.

I WOULDN'T.

NOTWITH THE DATA THATWE HAVE ANDUNCERTAINTIES THATWE HAVE."IT'S DATA LIKE THISSTUDY.SHOWING A40% INCREASE OFPOSITIVE TESTSAMONG CHILDRENACROSS THE UNITEDSTATES.THAT BRINGSA MOMENT OF PAUSEFOR BUFFALO PUBLICSCHOOLSSUPERINTENDENT DR.KRINER CASH."I DON'T WANT TOREOPEN UNLESS WEHAVE A STRONGTESTING PROGRAMAND A STRONGCONTACT TRACINGPROGRAM WITHRELATIVELY QUICKRESULTS."CASH SAYS THEDISTRICT RECENTLYPARTNERED WITH THEERIE COUNTYDEPARTMENT OFHEALTH TO HELP WITHTHIS EFFORT."N: FOR ANYONE TOASSUME THATSCHOOLS WILL NOTHAVE ANY CASES JUSTSEEMS UNREALISTIC ATTHIS POINT, CORRECT?T: IT'S CRITICAL TOREALIZE THAT ANYPLAN WE PUT IN PLACEWILL MINIMIZE RISK,BUT WE CAN NEVERGET THE RISK TOZERO."THE STUDY DONE BYTHE AMERICANACADEMY OFPEDIATRICS AND THECHILDREN'S HOSPITALASSOCIATIONBETWEEN JULY 16THAND 30TH DETAILSNEARLY 100,000 CASESDIAGNOSED IN KIDS."WELL I DON'T THINKTHIS REPORT IS CAUSEFOR ALARM.I THINKTHIS JUST CONFIRMSTHE FACT THAT CANGET INFECTED WITHTHE NEWCORONAVIRUS ANDCHILDREN ARE ABLE TOSPREAD THE NEWCORONAVIRUS."MEDICAL EXPERTSLIKE DR. RUSSOAGREE THE KEY TOSAFELY REOPENINGARE MANDATORYMASKS AND SOCIALDISTANCING."I CERTAINLY WILLUNDERSTAND IFPARENTS DON'T FEELTHAT IT'S SAFEENOUGH YET.""BUT I WOULD SAY THATI WOULD TRYEVERYTHING I CAN TOMAKE IT AS SAFE ASWE POSSIBLY CAN."ND, 7EWN.