In a new video from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Dr. Kleinman discusses the risk to children’s health posed by COVID-19 and the Delta variant. He is hopeful that a vaccine for children age 5 through 12 will receive emergency use authorization during the fall and strongly encourages vaccination. He advocates that parents, caregivers, and all who interact with children, should wear masks even if they are vaccinated, when in public indoor spaces (including schools and stores), and when in close quarters with others outdoors.
As parents plan for children to return to school, Dr. Kleinman shares ways to mitigate the risk of becoming ill with COVID-19. He encourages everyone who is eligible to get a vaccine and that children and staff should wear masks while in school. Noting several outbreaks from athletic activities, Dr. Kleinman encourages the wearing of masks during indoor sports and outdoor sports with the potential for close contact.
He concludes with an important message, “Parents need to remember that coronavirus is still around, it can harm children and that masking and social distancing are critical to reduce the risk for children and the adults that are close to them.”
Watch the video at: https://go.rutgers.edu/masksandchildren.
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