Ways to keep children safe from COVID-19 outside the classroom
Local health experts give advice on what parents can do to slow the spread of COVID among children.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Local health experts are weighing in on things parents can do to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“At this point, we have a strain of COVID that is spreading really, really rapidly,” an Epidemiologist from USF Health, Dr. Jill Roberts stated.
With kids back in school, districts like Pinellas County Schools and Hillsborough County Public Schools are reporting COVID-19 cases on online dashboards. Dr. Roberts said the number of cases in schools already is concerning.
“It really just highlights how quickly this particular strain can spread from place to place,” Roberts explained.
Hillsborough Public Schools reported 684 COVID-19 cases for employees and students as of Sunday afternoon. That number is only after the first four days of school. The dashboard is updated daily. The district states they are making this information available to the public to show transparency.
Pinellas County Schools also has a dashboard where they are alerting the public of positive cases for employees and students.
“This is bad. You never want to see numbers like this go through schools at all,” Roberts stated.
Roberts said with the coronavirus spreading among students and staff in schools, parents need to consider acting cautious outside the classroom. Roberts believes right now isn’t the time for kids to go play on crowded playgrounds or have big birthday parties indoors. Also, reminding kids of social distancing and hygiene.
“They probably don’t want to be hugging their peers right now,” Roberts said. “They definitely don’t want to be sharing food items.”
Roberts explained the importance kids saying something if they don’t feel well.
“Keep in mind, testing is available at all ages,” Roberts added.
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For a list of areas to get tested, click here.
Above all, Robert said the best protection for kids right now is to wear their masks. “The vaccines are not necessarily preventing people from carrying and therefore preventing the strain, but masks do,” Roberts stated.
