CORONAVIRUS & SCHOOLS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW | PPD TEST
As we approach a new school year, many students and parents have questions about coronavirus and schools in NYC. How will schools open safely? What policies will be in place to keep children and faculty safe? Here’s what you need to know:
Opening Schools During A Pandemic
Understandably, parents are concerned about sending their children back to school during the time of coronavirus. The decision to reopen schools came after lengthy debate among members of the CDC and the federal government.
One of the main factors that contributed to reopening schools was the child specific data collected since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.
Studies show that children are less likely to become infected with COVID-19 than adults. For those children infected with coronavirus, the death rate is also much lower than that of other age groups.
The other consideration that weighed more heavily toward reopening was the disproportionate availability of educational resources in lower-income areas. For more information on this, consider reading, The Importance of Reopening America’s Schools found on the CDC website.
CDC Guidelines for Coronavirus & Schools
The CDC has provided four key areas that K-12 school administers can focus on to keep students safe. These include:
- Promoting behaviors that reduce spread (e.g., hand washing and wearing masks)
- Maintaining healthy environments (e.g., ensuring proper ventilation, regular cleaning, and disinfecting surfaces)
- Maintaining healthy operations (e.g., staggering schedules, avoiding large groups)
- Preparing for when someone gets sick (e.g., protocol in place, coordinating with local health facilities)
These guidelines are also applicable for students returning to colleges and universities.
Schools During Coronavirus
Ultimately, reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic presents a very new frontier for everyone involved.
Taking time to familiarize with your schools COVID-19 policies, while asking questions of your local administrators, is the best approach to take as you weigh the risks and benefits in deciding how to educate your child this year.
If your child has health care condition or someone in your family has a high risk medical condition, talk to your school nurse about it.
Get Your Child Tested For COVID-19 at Statcare
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Coronavirus & Schools – Frequently Asked Questions
Each school district will adapt their school reopening policies and procedures to meet current CDC guidelines.
The CDC has emphasized that implementation should be “guided by what is feasible, practical, acceptable, and tailored to the needs of each community.”
The CDC also encourages schools to work with local and state health officials to formulate plans specific to their locations. Parents and caregivers can contact their school officials to ascertain how schools within their district have specifically adhered to CDC guidelines.
For parents and caregivers who are unsure of whether to send their children back to school, a decision-making tool has been created to help.
This tool takes into consideration the current health of your household and children, along with the location in which you live to give you an estimate of risk factors.
For parents and caregivers who are unsure of whether to send their children back to school, a decision-making tool has been created to help.
This tool takes into consideration the current health of your household and children, along with the location in which you live to give you an estimate of risk factors.