How Omicron Might Affect Schools Across The US

Omicron is a COVID-19 variant that has swept across the United States over the past months. Yet another wave of COVID-19 that is, according to experts, much more infectious has impacted so many aspects of the daily life of Americans. Omicron has left a lot of questions to be answered, especially when it comes to schools. Will Omicron cause another lockdown? How might Omicron affect schools across the U.S.? Read on to find out more about this variant, your children, and what we can learn from Omicron going forward.

Omicron In Children
As the United States continues to ride the Omicron wave, we can see how this variant is impacting children. In past waves, children didn’t seem to be as impacted as other age groups by the virus. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case with Omicron.

In this Omicron wave, more children are being hospitalized than ever, putting a huge strain on the health care system in many places. Studies have shown that communities with high transmission rates of COVID-19 will see a corresponding increase in pediatric cases of the disease as well as hospitalizations. When it comes to the health of children and adolescents, it’s going to take continued monitoring to understand the long-term impact of COVID and the Omicron variant, which is why schools have been working to try to avoid becoming vectors in the community for the illness.

Omicron In Schools
When it comes to COVID-19 in schools, there simply aren’t any easy answers. It may be more than two years since the start of the pandemic, but Omicron has still taken many communities by surprise in just how fast it has spread – especially with mitigation measures in place in many schools.

While schools haven’t stood out as particular vectors for the spread of Omicron, there is no place indoors where people gather that is immune to the impact of this variant. However, schools simply closing their doors isn’t an option, since there are far-reaching effects in the community when that happens, including social isolation of children and loss of learning. That’s why you’ve likely not seen a lot of Omicron school closures during this wave – closing schools simply isn’t an option for many communities anymore.

Helping schools not to become breeding grounds for the virus is a delicate act, because schools around the country have had to balance health and safety with learning and keeping children engaged. However, there are some measures that have been beneficial, which will likely be a part of the plan going forward.

What Can Schools Do To Protect Staff And Students Against Omicron?
There are several important things that schools can do to try to reduce the impact of Omicron and any other COVID variant going forward, without closing their doors. Some of the things that experts suggest include:

• Weekly testing – It would help a great deal if communities and the schools within them were to do consistent testing for COVID weekly. If positivity levels rise above a predetermined threshold, such as 5% of students, moving to virtual learning short-term may be ideal. Once positivity rates decline, in-person learning can resume.
• Slow the spread – Other mitigation measures beyond testing have been proven to slow the spread of Omicron and other COVID variants as well. Physical distancing and mask-wearing are just two of the potential mitigation measures that can help to keep schools open – which should be a priority in the community over other venues such as restaurants and bars.
• Call in sick – When students or teachers are sick or exposed to COVID, then it needs to be OK for them to call in until they test negative and aren’t infectious any longer.
• Re-evaluate – Communities need to do everything they can to keep schools open, no matter what variant or COVID surge comes up. This takes frequent re-evaluation of what is happening in the community and the school so that case increases can be addressed.
• Transparency – Many parents are frustrated by school systems that they feel have sent out confusing messaging or contradictory policies. They have also struggled with the messaging from community health experts who are working with the schools to inform policy. Not everyone can be made happy, but it’s important for the schools and the health care providers in the community to be straightforward and transparent when communicating about COVID.

Mental Health During COVID
One thing that has been true through the last couple of years that everyone has dealt with COVID-19 is how it impacts mental health. COVID is a complex issue, and families have to evaluate their circumstances and make choices that are best for them.

If families are considering virtual education for their child in light of this variant or any other that may arise, then they must also evaluate whether or not that meets the needs of their children not only educationally, but emotionally and socially as well.

Social interactions help to protect children against depression and anxiety, which is part of why school is so important for many. Of course, parents should be concerned about the physical health of their children or others in their household who may be immunocompromised, but they should also keep in mind that mental health is just as important, and a considered approach to help stave off COVID while keeping everyone mentally health is key.

The pandemic has been stressful for everyone. No matter how you approach COVID and this new variant, schools have been a focus of a lot of frustration and debate in communities. But one thing is for certain: in-person learning is important for children, and steps must be taken to preserve it while balancing health concerns as needed.

Featured image by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash