Post by danib on Sept 15, 2020 10:14:39 GMT -6
Thank you in advance for taking the time to read my concerns. I want to ensure this finds the appropriate person, and as quickly as possible as the school year has already started.
When the guidelines for a safe return to school were communicated, hybrid and virtual learning were only included in situations where our risk of Covid-19 increases significantly. While not ideal, I initially understood this decision as getting our children back to school is important for many social/emotional reasons in addition to learning.
However, my concern is with the criteria around attending/not attending school due to minor cold and allergy symptoms. As it stands, 2 or more symptoms requires a student to stay home and potentially get a Covid-19 test. Understandable. My assumption was that a negative test, and confirmation that the symptoms are due to simple issues such as a cold or seasonal allergies, would allow a student to return to school. However, parents are being told that even if their child tests negative they still cannot return to school until they are entirely symptom free for 24 hours.
This poses a significant issue for my child (and many others like him). I can already tell his sinuses are becoming irritated, as they do every Fall. I know that very soon this will lead to post-nasal drip, which will irritate his throat and cause a cough. Based on screening criteria he will have to stay home from school. And as previous years have shown me, this will likely last for months. Not days, MONTHS. I also know that once he does catch a minor cold virus (as all kids will), he will have a lingering cough that will potentially last a month or more. His inhaler and daily allergy medications help, but they will not get him completely symptom free. At his last allergy appointment (in Feb) his allergist said that his sinuses were so swollen they were almost completely closed off. It does not matter what we do, this is unfortunately just something he deals with.
So I would like to know what will be in place for my child so that his education does not suffer, when at any time now he will be forced to stay home from school, likely for the bulk of the Fall and Winter seasons? Either things need to be reconsidered so that a negative test will clear him to return, or supported virtual learning needs to be put in place immediately. Not eventually, but now, before children like my son are put at a disadvantage and miss out on the education that their peers with better immune systems are able to avail of.
I look forward to your reply. I can be reached at this email address or by phone *****
When the guidelines for a safe return to school were communicated, hybrid and virtual learning were only included in situations where our risk of Covid-19 increases significantly. While not ideal, I initially understood this decision as getting our children back to school is important for many social/emotional reasons in addition to learning.
However, my concern is with the criteria around attending/not attending school due to minor cold and allergy symptoms. As it stands, 2 or more symptoms requires a student to stay home and potentially get a Covid-19 test. Understandable. My assumption was that a negative test, and confirmation that the symptoms are due to simple issues such as a cold or seasonal allergies, would allow a student to return to school. However, parents are being told that even if their child tests negative they still cannot return to school until they are entirely symptom free for 24 hours.
This poses a significant issue for my child (and many others like him). I can already tell his sinuses are becoming irritated, as they do every Fall. I know that very soon this will lead to post-nasal drip, which will irritate his throat and cause a cough. Based on screening criteria he will have to stay home from school. And as previous years have shown me, this will likely last for months. Not days, MONTHS. I also know that once he does catch a minor cold virus (as all kids will), he will have a lingering cough that will potentially last a month or more. His inhaler and daily allergy medications help, but they will not get him completely symptom free. At his last allergy appointment (in Feb) his allergist said that his sinuses were so swollen they were almost completely closed off. It does not matter what we do, this is unfortunately just something he deals with.
So I would like to know what will be in place for my child so that his education does not suffer, when at any time now he will be forced to stay home from school, likely for the bulk of the Fall and Winter seasons? Either things need to be reconsidered so that a negative test will clear him to return, or supported virtual learning needs to be put in place immediately. Not eventually, but now, before children like my son are put at a disadvantage and miss out on the education that their peers with better immune systems are able to avail of.
I look forward to your reply. I can be reached at this email address or by phone *****