HealthDay: Teachers' unions, doctors agree that vaccines, masks crucial for return to school

By Dennis Thompson

Schools are reopening as the Delta variant surges across America, a scary prospect for educators and parents alike.

But experts representing teachers and doctors say reopening must happen for the sake of students, and a combo of vaccination and safety measures will help keep kids and staff safe.

Kids have suffered during the pandemic, and they need in-person schooling this year, Dr. Angela Myers, division director of infectious diseases with Children's Mercy Kansas City said in a HealthDay Now interview.

"What we know from the data is that when kids were in school full-time, they learned better and their mental health was better," Myers said. "We know what the right thing to do is, and we know how to keep kids safe and keep kids healthy and keep them where they need to be, which is in school."

The problem is that the Delta variant is much more contagious than the original COVID-19 strain, Myers noted. One infected person will typically spread Delta to five others, as opposed to two others with earlier strains.

Vaccination is key to keeping school kids safe, particularly those younger than 12 for whom no shot is approved yet, said Myers and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten.

Read the full article and watch the interview via HealthDay

For Children's Mercy's recommendations on Returning to School and the Community Safely

Information on COVID-19 Vaccine at Children's Mercy