SARASOTA – The 2020 school year will be anything but typical. Many schools across the country are adapting to the global health pandemic. Things that have become the new norm for society will follow into the classrooms.
But in order to have a COVID free school year Sarasota County Schools administrators are saying….
“If you have counted on your child to go to school brick and mortar, and they are not feeling well. Do not send your children to school,” said Dr. Laura Kingsley.
Dr. Kingsley, the Sarasota County Schools District Assistant Superintendent, says staff at all 62 public school in the county are more than ready to get the school year started. But with the recent increase in positive coronavirus cases among children, keeping your kids at home if they’re sick will help save lives.
“I know it’s disruptive for each of us, each family, but if we all do our part we minimize the disruption for the greater good,” Dr. Kingsley.
The message comes after more nine school in Manatee County confirmed an undisclosed amount of positive cases a week after reopening.
Just this past week the American Academy of Pediatrics says so far total of nearly 443,000 pediatric cases of COVID-19 have been reported.
Dr. Kingsley says parents should take their children’s temperature every morning and be on the lookout for symptoms related to coronavirus; but with flu season right around the corner that may become more of a challenge.
“We’re trying to keep each other safe and one instance could be, God forbid a case of COVID, that might affect many other families,” said Dr. Kingsley.
The CDC reports children represent over 9% of all cases. But over 74,000 new child cases were reported between August 6th and August 20th. That’s about a 21% increase in just over two weeks.
And while young patients generally have mild illness some studies suggest the virus can be detected in for an average of about two to three weeks.
Experts recommend not relying on body temperature or monitoring of symptoms to identify infections in the school setting. Instead, they urge control measures such as social distancing and wearing of masks.
The CDC says that the true infection rate in kids is unknown in part due to lack of widespread testing.
