Is going back to school safe? Oishei's top doctor breaks down the evidence
Is going back to school safe? Oishei's top doctor breaks down the evidence
Will returning to school be safe?
Dr. Stephen Turkovich is Chief Medical Officer at Oishei Children's Hospital.
He said evidence shows going back to school could actually be a safer option.
STUDENTS?TONIGHT ..
AS PART OFOUR REBOUNDBUFFALO INITIATIVE...7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER OLIVIAPROIA CONTINUES TOFOLLOW WHAT THEFUTURE COULD HOLDFOR PARENTS ANDSTUDENT IN THE UPCOMING YEAR..80 PERCENT OFPARENTS IN THESTARPOINT CENTRALSCHOOL DISTRICT SAYTHEY'RE READY FORSCHOOL TO START INTHE FALL.CROFT: THAT TELLS MEWE HAVE 20 PERCENTOR SO OF OURPARENTS THAT WE'REGOING TO NEED TOCONVINCE AND SELLTHAT THIS IS A SAFEENVIRONMENT FOROUR CHILDREN.DR. STEPHENTURKOVICH IS CHIEFMEDICAL OFFICER ATOISHEI CHILDREN'SHOSPITAL.
HE SAYSEVIDENCE SHOWSGOING BACK TOSCHOOL COULDACTUALLY BE A SAFEROPTIONTURKOVICH: WHEN WECLOSED DOWNSCHOOLS IN MARCH WEREALLY HAD NOCHOICE BECAUSE WEREALLY DIDN'T KNOW ALOT ABOUT THE VIRUSAND HOW IT'STRANSMITTED ANDWHAT CHILDREN'SROLE WAS IN THAT.WE'VE LEARNED A LOTSINCE THEN.
WE'VELEARNED THATCHILDREN THROUGHLOOKING AT DAYCARESTHAT REMAINED OPENTHROUGHOUT THEPANDEMIC REALLY ARENOT TRANSMITTING ITTO EACH OTHER ORADULTS IN ASIGNIFICANT WAY.HE SAYS WE'VE ALSOLEARNED DIFFERENTSAFETY MEASURESTHAT HELP PREVENTTHE VIRUS FROMSPREADING... LIKEWEARING FACE MASKSAND PRACTICINGSOCIAL DISTANCING.TURKOVICH: LOOKINGAT OTHER COUNTRIESTHAT HAVE GONE BACKTO SCHOOL... THERE'SMANY THINGS THATTHEY'VE DONE THATWE'RE DOING INSOCIETY ALREADYTHAT HAVE BEENPROVEN TO DECREASETHE RISK OFSPREADING COVID.CROFT: THEY'RE GOINGTO BE REQUIRED TOWEAR FACECOVERINGS OR AMASK.
AND WE KNOWTHAT WORKS.
THATHELPS MITIGATE VIRUSSPREAD.DR. SEAN CROFT ISSUPERINTENDENT OFSTARPOINT CENTRALSCHOOLS.
HE FEARSIF KIDS DON'T GOBACK TO SCHOOL...CROFT: IT WILL BEDETRIMENTAL AND WEWILL HAVE SOME GAPSTO MAKE UP.
WEEXPECT KIDS TO COMEBACK WITHSIGNIFICANT LEARNINGGAPS FROM WHATHAPPENED OVER THELAST FOUR MONTHS.TURKOVICH: NOT ONLYTHE DETRIMENT TOTHEIR LEARNING, BUTALSO THEIR PHYSICAL,MENTAL AND SOCIALDEVELOPMENT HASBEEN CHALLENGED.HE SAYS THOSEIMPACTS WILL ONLYGET WORSE THELONGER KIDS ARE OUTOF SCHOOL.TURKOVICH: THELONGER WE GOWITHOUT INTERACTIONWITH CLASSMATES ANDOTHER ADULTSOUTSIDE OF THE HOME,THE MORE POTENTIALWE'RE GOING TOSTUNT CHILDREN'SSOCIAL ANDEMOTIONAL GROWTH.CROFT: WE KNOW IFCHILDREN ARE BACK INSCHOOL HOUSEHOLDSARE BETTER OFF, BUTWE HAVE TO DO IT IN ASAFE WAY.IN BUFFA
