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Thursday, 28 March 2024

Back To School Concerns During The Coronavirus Pandemic Part One

Credit: WAAY ABC Huntsville, AL
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Back To School Concerns During The Coronavirus Pandemic Part One
Back To School Concerns During The Coronavirus Pandemic Part One
Back To School Concerns During The Coronavirus Pandemic

Learning gap were considered.

>> najahe sherman: we want to discuss the decision to start the school year virtually.

>> dan shaffer: we're joined by dr. ali hassoun, an infectious diseases specialist at huntsville hospital.

Thank you for joining us again tonight.

>> dr. hassoun: thank you for having me.

>> dan shaffer: the biggest districts decided to scrap the idea to bring students to the classroom, to go all virtual.

Do you believe it's the right move?

>> dr. hassoun: i believe it is right move, especially with the cases continue to rise.

You know, as we see widespread community infectious, transmission, we definitely -- if we do face-to-face learning, we're going to have a problems in the school with the transmission.

And then the cases are going to be up.

I think pushing it that nine weeks is going to give us a cushion or a opportunity if we work all together we might be able to cut down on the cases.

And if we cut down on the cases, so it's going to make it easier face-to-face learning.

And then it's much easier whether on the parents, the teachers, the stress of possibilities of infection, everything is going to make it easier if we can help reducing the transmission first.

>> najahe sherman: when it comes to our youth, we've heard that teenagers and children are les likely to get the coronavirus.

Is that really the case or are they simply less likely to show symptoms?

>> dr. hassoun: so it's really -- that's not the case.

It's less like likely to show symptoms rather than less likely to get the infection.

And you probably heard there's been a study published through south korea for children and they were 10 and above but they saw their rate of infection is similar to the rate of adult infection.

But the the symptoms was less.

Now, we know for a fact in the united states the same thing, but also we know some of these kids frksz they get infected, they can get severe problems, complications.

So it might be a minority, but it can be a major, major issues for the kids.

>> dan shaffer: and we reported just a moment ago that nearly a dozen districts in north alabama will forge ahead with traditional learning, opening their schools for students, with an option for virtual learning for those that need it.

They cite nutrition, overall mental health for kids.

These are valid concerns.

Where's the balance here?

>> dr. hassoun: yeah, definitely these are concerns and you really want all these aspects for the kids, for the parents to have it.

But i think in a public health emergency like this with a pandemic and risk to the community, risk to health of any individual, i think it gets to be where we need to think about reducing that risk first and work on others as much as we can until we get this under control better.

>> najahe sherman: we reported just a few minutes ago that there will be fall sports for several school districts.

Schools are going virtual yet many districts are still allowing sports.

How can young children safely take part in these extracurricular activities?

>> dr. hassoun: and i can tell you, that's puzzling to me.

I mean, if we're really trying to do our best to reduce transmission and we said schools should be virtual at least for the first, you know -- or remote the first nine weeks, i don't know how a contact sport, initiating it now, is going to, you know, not affect the transmission.

It's very difficult for young athletes, especially when they gather whether transportation, whether, you know, between each other training, you know, this is high risk of transmission considered in football as a sport.

So i really -- it's very tough.

You can put masking, you can talk about, you know, hand hygiene, physical distancing, but i really don't see how all that done because all the sports who started and good example for the, you know, soccer overseas, over the major league baseball that they talking they start.

They have no spectators, they're going to get tested on regular basis, they make sure nobody's infected.

Everybody who's positive not going to come to the facility or train.

So there's a lot of extra thing need to be done so you can do things safely.

And i'm not sure if the football in alabama is planning to do that.

>> dan shaffer: yeah, you kind of answered the next question that was on my mind, is what precautions can schools and coaches take?

Is it those steps that you just mentioned and is there any way to play a contact sport in a pandemic?

>> dr. hassoun: it's very, very difficult to play a contact sport in a pandemic.

I mean, i don't see it.

It's an opportunity for transmission, spread by ex cretion and droplets wh.

You do contact sport that's the easiest way of transmission from one person to another.

I really don't think it's a good decision at the moment to do that.

>> najahe sherman: what is your advice to parents if they have concerns that their youth athlete might have been exposed to the coronavirus and as they wait for those test results?

>> dr. hassoun: yeah, so if anybody got exposed the guidelines say you're going to need to get tested and in the meantime while you are waiting for that test, you need to garen teen yourself.

That's really, really important to do.

Until you get the test back, of course the test needs to be done in the right timing.

So we usually don't do the test immediately.

We wait 5 to 7 days and do the test because it takes time for the virus to show up and shed as well.

So in the meantime, these young athletes need to be quarantined and at the same time notwithstanding whoever in close contact with them, the parents, you know, all these are going to need to think about possibility of exposure.

And

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