Q&A: Back to school during COVID-19

COVID-19 has proved to be immensely challenging for families and we may be facing the most challenging aspect yet — how to decide whether or not to send children back to school. Leaders from our primary care team as well as the Herma Heart Institute answered questions about going back to school during this live Q&A.

00:00 - Introduction
01:39 - Doctors share a little bit of what they've experienced as doctors and parents around the question of sending kids back to school.
06:49 - Children's Wisconsin's position on masks
13:55 - Testing. Where is it done? How is it done? Can Children's Wisconsin do testing?
18:55 - Should there be more consistency in what schools are deciding?
23:20 - What about teachers and school faculty? How do they factor into the decision to go back to school?
26:27 - What are symptoms of COVID-19 in kids?
28:16 - What is our message to families with kids that have complex medical conditions?
30:58 - What's our message to families with kids in the Herma Heart Institute and other specialties?
35:28 - MIS-C, an illness linked to the Coronavirus
37:39 - Screening kids in schools
43:21 - If a child was at home having symptoms had been in school prior to that - scenario.
47:18 - What should parents look for around mental and behavioral health?
54:44 - What tips do you have for how to help kids prepare for either going back to school or not?
59:23 - Will you/would you personally send your kids back to school?
01:06:00- Can you speak about the effectiveness of masks for kids at different ages?
01:08:10 - Can you share your thoughts on differences between elementary, middle and high school considerations?
01:10:23 - Thoughts or concerns on bathrooms at schools and how those should be safely managed for children?
01:11:46 - Is there any way to tell if someone in a classroom is transmitting the virus?
01:12:28- What are your thoughts on special needs kids with individualized education programs that really need in-person instruction?
01:13:47- Immunocompromised kids, newborns and siblings of kids with complex medical conditions.
01:18:33 - Medical conditions with symptoms similar to COVID-19
01:19:50 - Tips for teachers who are congenital heart patients, and how they should approach a return to school.
01:20:57 - COVID-19 and childhood asthma?
01:21:22 - Can kids carry and spread COVID-19?
01:23:01 - What is the recommended distance that should be kept between students – we’ve heard 3 and 6 feet?
01:24:30 - Kids playing on playground equipment, how safe is it?
01:25:34 - Thank you, and parting words

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I disagree with school openings.
We must provide online classes and provide support for families with parents working outside the home.

Let us be wise and compassionate.