School reopening? What parents need to know and can do

It’s amazing how something as ordinary as going to school can become frightening and overwhelming during a pandemic. While some children have been attending school throughout the pandemic, most have been learning remotely, or in a hybrid model of some remote and some in person. As we pass the one-year mark, it has become increasingly clear that children need to get back into their pre-pandemic school routines. It’s not just education that has suffered; being isolated at home is bad for the mental and physical health of children too. The problem is, the pandemic isn’t over yet. While vaccines are giving us hope, children under 16 can’t yet be vaccinated, and access to vaccines for teachers is uneven. Understandably, many people would prefer not to make any changes just yet. Instead, they’d like to wait until the next school year, when more adults will be vaccinated and high school students may be eligible for vaccines. Waiting could do more harm But so much has been lost already, and many students and families are in crisis. Even for those who aren’t in crisis, getting away from computer screens, back to in-person teaching and seeing friends, not to mention some physical activity — could make a big difference for many students, even if it is just for a few weeks. Most school districts do and will continue to provide a remote option — and for children and families with high medical risk who are not yet vaccinated, that may be the best option. But if there isn’...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Adolescent health Children's Health Coronavirus and COVID-19 Parenting Source Type: blogs