This summer is redefining normal.
Despite reopenings and relaxing of restrictions, COVID-19 and virus variants are still a major concern.
While most are simply relieved to be able to shed their masks outside and hug friends and loved ones, new challenges are also on the horizon, especially for youth.
This week’s Connect the Dots tackles what might be facing kids as schools ramp up for in-person learning in the fall and what new options there are to aid students, parents and schools in the wake of the pandemic's unprecedented challenges.
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With more than 75 million K-12 students are heading back to school soon, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have released guidelines for their welcome back into the classroom.
Some states are even drafting their own guidelines. But those plans could potentially get thrown out as the Delta variant is driving up COVID-19 case rates up across the globe and people everywhere are traveling in droves to flee the inside of their homes.
Experts, such as Dr. Peter Jay Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College in Houston, and co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, weigh in on how the variant may spread across the country.
"I was hoping we could resume back to pre-pandemic life this summer," said Hotez. "Based on what I knew a few months ago I thought we'd get there, between fully vaccinating and not having the Delta variant."
Some are concerned about the fluctuating mask guidelines and how schools will handle potential changes. Others are more worried about children 12 and under who are still unable to get vaccinated. And just as concerning is the dearth of competent teachers willing to continue working under these stressful conditions.
Learn more about what challenges are ahead for the country’s education system, and how some states are dedicating millions of dollars in funding to help alleviate the burden in this week’s episode.
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