Before the emergence of the Delta variant, many people believed that “normal school” would be welcomed with open arms this fall. However, as it stands today, Aug. 13, 2021, nearly half of U.S. adults are not vaccinated, and children under 12 will not be approved for vaccinations for months. Due to this, it is likely that, at least for the foreseeable future, normal school is a thing of the past.
Concerned Parents and Safety Measures
The only way schools will operate within some realm of normalcy is by wearing masks and making sure there is proper ventilation in school buildings. The coming school year is also placing a huge share of the work on parents, specifically mothers.
Many mothers with children under 12 have disproportionally left work to care for their children. And as anyone would expect, this has heavily affected families’ finances. Mothers who continue to work are juggling child care, work, and keeping their children safe from COVID-19. Once again, this reinforces the idea that normal school is a thing of the past.
Education During Delta
Despite what most people expected, the pandemic will continue into well the fall. Therefore everyone must work together to keep everyone healthy. With the COVID-19 Delta variant posing a substantial threat to children, they are the main group of concern.
The best way to do so until children are eligible for vaccines is by wearing masks. Therefore, schools must enforce wearing masks at all times and maintaining a distance of three feet so that students can remain healthy. In addition to social distancing and mask mandates, schools need to mimic outdoor environments as COVID-19 is less transmissible outdoors. Thus doing things such as opening windows could help schools lower the risk of infection.
Written by Reginae Echols
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
Vox: It’s time to accept that school won’t be normal in the fall; by Anna North
Becker’s Hospital Review: States ranked by percentage of population fully vaccinated: Aug. 13; by Katie Adams
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of sohel shaha’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of Provine of British Columbia’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
