Keep the school gates close until 2021

By Alex P. Vidal

“Protect yourself at all times. It’s what I talk to school kids and college kids about when I do my seminars. I’m not just talking about in the ring. Protect yourself at all times.”—Bernard Hopkins

AS more evidence surfaced that children’s lives have been turned upside down by COVID-19 pandemic anywhere in the world today, we agree on the proposal of both Iloilo Governor Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. and Iloilo City Mayor Geronimo “Jerry” Treñas to postpone the school opening until 2021.

The call for postponement by both Iloilo chief executives came as the Department of Education (DepEd) decided recently to open school year 2020–2021 on Aug. 24, 2020.

To prepare for the opening of the school year 2020, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones has reportedly ordered all public school teachers and employees to report back to work starting June 1, 2020.

Both Defensor and Treñas apparently were worried that the coronavirus might not go away until the end of 2020, and there is a need to protect the school children who might be exposed to the pandemic if they go back to school even in August which is about two months away while the world is still being hounded by a growing number of cases and deaths.

So far, no parent has opposed the stand of the two Iloilo leaders even as the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) supported the move of some teachers, students and parents to question DepEd’s decision to open school year 2020-2021 on Aug. 24.

“Secretary Briones’ pep talk on fighting fears and teaching students courage does not assuage our apprehensions as they are based on our rational assessment of the country’s present condition,” ACT secretary general Raymond Basilio said in a statement.

 

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It should be noted that between schools being closed and playdates being cancelled, children’s routines are anything but routine.

Even before the school opening, school children also have questions about coronavirus, and benefit from age-appropriate answers that don’t fuel the flame of anxiety.

While they are at home, there should be a need to discuss things they can control, like hand washing, social distancing, and other health-promoting behaviors.

How does COVID-19 affect children? Children, including very young children, can develop COVID-19 even if many of them have no symptoms, according to Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Publishing.

Those that do get sick tend to experience milder symptoms such as low-grade fever, fatigue, and cough.

Some children have had severe complications, but this has been less common.

Children with underlying health conditions may be at increased risk for severe illness.

 

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Harvard has warned that a complication that has more recently been observed in children can be severe and dangerous. Called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), Harvard said it can lead to life-threatening problems with the heart and other organs in the body. Early reports compare it to Kawasaki disease, an inflammatory illness that can lead to heart problems. But while some cases look very much like Kawasaki’s, others have been different.

Symptoms of MIS-C can include: fever lasting more than a couple of days; rash; conjunctivitis (redness of the white part of the eye)

Stomachache; vomiting and/or diarrhea; a large, swollen lymph node in the neck red, cracked lips; a tongue that is redder than usual and looks like a strawberry; swollen hands and/or feet; irritability and/or unusual sleepiness or weakness.

Many conditions can reportedly cause these symptoms.

Doctors make the diagnosis of MIS-C based on these symptoms, along with a physical examination and medical tests that check for inflammation and how organs are functioning.

Harvard recommends to call the doctor if the child develops symptoms, particularly if his fever lasts for more than a couple of days. If the symptoms get any worse or just don’t improve, call again or bring the child to an emergency room.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)