EDITORIAL: As school year begins, don’t let guards down in ongoing COVID fight

Published 11:44 pm Monday, August 2, 2021

A new school term is on the horizon in Baldwin and surrounding counties. And despite the introduction of vaccines, we remain amid an unrelenting pandemic. While school systems are making their own decisions about mask mandates and protocols, we urge all parents, teachers, students and staff to not let their guards down and take steps to stay safe.

We cannot loosen the reigns entirely just yet.

We’ve spent the past 17 months living within the COVID-19 pandemic. The toll has been excruciating to us mentally, spiritually, physically and in seemingly countless other ways. To date, the coronavirus has killed some 610,000 Americans and about 4.16 million worldwide.

We’re all tired, but unfortunately the virus, more specifically, the delta variant, is still going strong.

So whenever we hear the word “normal” or the phrase “return to normal” we instinctively breathe a sigh of relief. But “normal” may be much further away than we’d like.

There is hope and there are steps we can still take to tamp down this insidious virus. What can we do? We can get vaccinated. As of Friday afternoon, 8.7 million vaccinations had been administered across our state and 40% of Georgia’s population was fully vaccinated. That’s great, but we can do better. We must do better. In Baldwin County, 31,401 vaccines had been administered as of Friday and 34% of our eligible population had been vaccinated. 

The Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics has called for mask-wearing in schools, a call the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, although late, has also now echoed. That isn’t going to be the case in many schools at the start of this school term, but without a mandate, it remains an option left up to parents and students. While masks remain a key frontline of defense against the virus, particularly in schools with younger students who are not vaccine eligible, there are other guidelines we can all follow. 

The AAP released the following guidelines, which piggyback on directives from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Maintaining at least 3 feet of physical distance between students wherever possible within classrooms.

• Enhanced ventilation in schools.

• COVID-19 screening.

• Handwashing and respiratory etiquette.

• Staying home when sick and getting tested.

• Contact tracing in combination with quarantine and isolation.

• Cleaning and disinfection.

We must do everything we can to protect our children in school, as well as the many people who contribute to their day — teachers, administrators, janitors, cafeteria workers, crossing guards, etc. Consider having your child wear a mask while at school, and if eligible, have your child vaccinated.

If your child has a fever or is experiencing sickness — please, stay at home.

We can combat this virus by being responsible and doing our part.

Let’s keep our children safe.