Should You Send Your Kids to School Now?

It has been two years since the COVID-19 pandemic started and the country went into a lockdown. The schools were shut and kids locked in their homes.

Now that the situation has nearly returned to normalcy with masks mandates being removed, and schools reopened, there is lot of fear and apprehension in the parents' mind about sending kids to school.

I would like to reassure the parents that it is in the child’s best interest that they start going to school because of the following key reasons:

1. Most of the adults have been vaccinated with two doses

2. A large number of children above 15 years have been vaccinated

3. The COVID-19 disease is generally mild in children according to the data available

4. Not going to school is affecting and hampering social skills of children and causing lot of mental stress leading to mental health issues

5. The virus might not be going away. It’s going to stay and we have to learn to live with it

Following is my advise to the parents before sending their kids to school

1. Get your child vaccinated as and when he/she is eligible

2. Teach them how to use mask in a proper way in case mask mandates come back or if you want them to wear masks

3. Do not send your child to school if he/she is not feeling well

4. Encourage them to do lots of physical recreational activities

5. In case your kid is suffering from any chronic illness please consult your pediatrician before sending your child to school