“Getting back to normal has value”: Pediatricians discuss returning to school in Fall
RHODE ISLAND (WLNE) – Governor Gina Raimondo held the first back to school virtual forum on Thursday.
She sat down with Education Commissioner Aneglica Infante-Green and two pediatricians in a Facebook Live to answer common questions about reopening schools.
“When it comes to the health of our students, there’s nothing that matters to us more than the students’ health. Which is not just physical health, but also the social, emotional, it’s having a very safe place for our kids to come back and thrive, have access to well balanced meals,” said Infante-Green.
Governor Raimodo and the Department of Education are currently reviewing all the back to school plans for every district. They are expected to make a decision in early August on whether students will have in-person schooling, distance learning, or a combination of both.
Dr. Jim McDonald, one of the pediatricians, said children are at a lower risk of contracting the virus. He reports only 3% of the state’s coronavirus cases involve kids ages 0-9. He said 5% of the cases came from ages 10-20.
Dr. McDonald said if coronavirus cases remain low, in-person school will be safe under new regulations. He also said in-person school is the best option for a student’s mental health.
“From March to June of 2020, the percentage of kids who have gone to the emergency room because of suicidal thoughts is twice what it was the year previous,” said McDonald. “This has been a time of anxiety. Getting our kids back to normal and anything that feels normal is going to help reduce some of that anxiety.”
When discussing the reopening of schools, the state is also considering the health of teachers and staff.
“There is nothing we can do to make the risk go 100% away, but with the right measures, and plans, and teamwork, we can mitigate the risk so they are down to as minimum as possible,” said Dr. Elizabeth Lange, another pediatrician.
Dr. Lange said some of the measures needed to mitigate the risk are wearing masks, social distancing, and avoiding large gatherings.
The governor will hold a Facebook Live every Thursday at 3:00 p.m. with the education commissioner to continue the dialogue with parents. She will also dedicate half of her time at her Wednesday coronavirus press briefings to talking about schools.
