Is coronavirus still a big deal? YES.
Just because we are tired of this doesn't mean it is going away. The virus doesn't care how we feel about it.
I continue to get calls EVERY DAY from families in my practice who have been exposed to or caught coronavirus. Some family members have become seriously ill, fortunately none of them children. As studies have shown, symptoms in kids range from nothing at all to mild congestion and runny nose, or low-grade fever, to high fevers, coughing, vomiting, and loss of taste or smell. So potentially any sign of illness could be coronavirus. Please continue to wear masks and socially distance to prevent spread and stay home for 10 days if your child has any sign of illness. 1500 people died from the flu in L.A. County in all of 2019, but 5381 people have died from COVID in L.A. County as of today, only 6 months after it started. See publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/data/index.htm
Back-to-school time
Because kids themselves (and people under 40 with no risk factors) are at low risk of serious illness (death rate about 0.1%), many kids may be able to return to school under careful protocols. Each family has to consider their individual situation and risk to family members, however. Every exposure to another person increases risk and many families have made the decision to keep their kids at home. For those who are sending their kids to school and daycare I am concerned about exposure to grandparents, whose risk is much higher. The risk in people over 60 was 10% and over 75 20-30%. Fatalities currently are going down in Los Angeles, but this is partially because there are fewer cases among the elderly, where nursing homes were hit hard at the beginning, and more among younger people, who are more likely to have mild cases.
For more information here is a SUPER HELPFUL website!
Stay safe!