Looking for pandemic guidance with children under 12
There is recent momentum about the need for vaccine mandates and policies. Still, as businesses — and belatedly governments — make announcements on the subject, it is often vague about how the vaccine mandates will apply to those under 12 years old.
Approval of a COVID-19 vaccine for younger children remains forthcoming and the timeline has been longer than hoped or initially expected.
While the Winnipeg Jets, for example, were clear in their vaccination requirement that an exemption will apply to those under 12 (allowing them to still attend this season’s games), others have been less specific. Some businesses and institutions will require a negative COVID-19 test result from children shortly before entering facilities. Such a requirement will undoubtedly curb the number of children gaining access.
In the meantime, as more people get vaccinated and marketing pitches encourage a return to “normal” activities, it remains largely unclear about which activities families — including members under 12 — should (or should not) feel comfortable doing collectively.
This is meant to be a period of renewal and emergence, but as the Delta variant surges and we face a fourth wave of COVID-19 case counts, parents of younger children face a dilemma. Parents must cope with deciding whether their children under 12 should partake in the same range of activities as vaccinated family members.
Returning to school is imminent and the weather will inevitably cool, so should you feel comfortable about bringing the entire family indoors at a restaurant for dinner? Do you feel comfortable about bringing a child under 12 to a Blue Jays game? If so, would you limit yourselves to physically distanced pod seating? And a further consideration with limited capacity requirements is that attending a game has become notably more costly.
Those in leadership positions have been relatively quiet advising on such questions recently. The muted stance seemingly reflects the pending federal election. For the moment, parents are left to do their own risk and benefit analysis, but insight as well as direction is needed from those most informed.
During election campaigning, updates from the Public Health Agency of Canada have been less frequent and Dr. Theresa Tam — Canada’s chief public health officer — appears largely muzzled.
Marketing pitches commonly persist with visuals of families that have young children. While marketers frequently account for demographic factors, such as age and gender when trying to appeal to prospective consumers, there’s a present need for renewed focus on the relevance of the family life cycle. Businesses are likely to offer reassurances about cleanliness and safety. Yet, there is usually an underlying assumption of risk concerning COVID-19 for those entering the premises.
Despite a forthcoming federal election, public health authorities should not be muted, as parents seek to be better informed in determining their tolerance or appetite for risk.