Keeping kids in school a relief for parents

The plight of parents during the COVID-19 era has taken a backseat to other issues this year as schools have reopened and kitchen-counter Zoom classrooms largely became an unhappy memory. But it hasn’t all been easy. Vaccinations for children under 12 have just in recent days won federal approval, so this cohort has been mostly unprotected in schools. Even with mask mandates and an understanding that COVID affects young people far less seriously than older people, worries have persisted. Those worries have manifested in frequent quarantine orders. When someone in a child’s classroom tests positive for COVID, school officials typically begin the process of contact tracing to see who that person has been in close quarters with. Depending on what they find, other people might be asked to stay home for a period of time, regardless of whether they’re sick. This is an example of school systems doing the best they can to keep everyone safe. A key to public health measures from the beginning has been stopping the spread, and that means limiting contact with people who may have been exposed to the virus. But it’s incredibly stressful for parents. Even if their children are well protected and haven’t engaged in any risky behavior, they could be told to quarantine and miss school for days at a time. These notifications arrive like a bolt of lightning, with every day bringing a chance for a call from the school that a child needs to be kept home. That in turn can require huge adjustments. For working parents, it can mean taking time off or finding child care, often with little notice. It’s part of our COVID reality, but one that causes huge disruptions. A policy announced recently by Gov. Ned Lamont and his team of public health officials should go a long way toward changing this system. With the rollout of the Screen and Stay initiative, students identified as close contacts to a person known to be a COVID-19 case but who are not yet vaccinated will be able to remain in school if they wear masks and don’t develop symptoms. This would also apply to staff members, which would help cut absences and reduce the need for substitutes, who have been in short supply in many districts. There are a number of qualifications — this only applies to in-school contact, not extracurriculars, and everyone needs to remain asymptomatic, among other provisions. But it gives school districts some needed flexibility and allows for the protection of public health without upending people’s lives. It’s a big win for parents and students. Lamont also hinted that mask mandates in schools could be on the way out. That time will arrive eventually, but it’s the right move to keep masking rules in place for now. Especially with the holidays approaching, out-of-school transmission is likely to increase, and colder weather will keep more people indoors. Masks are far from ideal, but they help slow the spread of a deadly disease. The COVID era isn’t over. There are still adjustments we need to make to ensure the next wave never happens. But every step we can take to return to normalcy is important.

Even with mask mandates and an understanding that COVID affects young people far less seriously than older people, worries have persisted.