COVID — and now monkeypox — is on everyone’s mind as Texas schools enter third year of pandemic

COVID-19 seemed deep in everyone’s minds at the back-to-school block party held by the Judson ISD, a suburban school district just outside San Antonio.

There were free hot dogs, numerous performances, parental resources, and families everywhere.

But if you asked, the concerns about COVID are still there.

“Yes, and monkeypox. It’s still happening,” said Mike Poteet. His children attend preschool and kindergarten.

He admits he’s worried about them contracting COVID, but doesn’t feel like he can really do anything to protect them.

“Realistically, if they’re trying to get into a classroom, you can’t,” he said. “We do what we can do otherwise, but that will be the new norm going forward.”

That dad is right about COVID being the new normal, said Dr. Tess Barton, associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases at UT Health San Antonio.

“We think this virus is circulating very widely, mutating and moving into a frequently changing pandemic phase, which is why we and so many people are already infected with the virus. “We think we’ve reached an epidemic point where it’s just a virus and it circulates fairly regularly.”

The CDC used similar reasons during its mitigation. guidelines For schools last week, we removed the recommendation that all people who have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID should go home and quarantine.

what do they do instead?

Toni Thompson, Associate Superintendent of Human Resources, San Antonio ISD, said:

Thompson said the new guidance will allow uninfected students and staff to stay in schools, which she says is a good thing.

“However, staff, especially nurses, need to monitor closely and carefully so that if an at-risk student develops symptoms, they can be removed immediately, tested, and made sure they are okay. There is,” she said.

Judson ISD Communications Department

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BA.5, the currently dominant variant of COVID, is highly contagious, so school districts are preparing for the possibility of seeing many cases early in the school year.

Dr. Burton said families should be prepared that an infected child could bring the virus home and spread it. Who in their circle would need special protection?

“Is it someone at high risk, someone with cancer or diabetes, the elderly, etc. Or someone who can’t take time off from work?” she said. “If I take a week off work due to COVID-19 and quarantine, will I be unable to pay my bills for the month?”

Burton said the calculations will vary from family to family, but everyone who is eligible for a vaccine should be vaccinated, everyone who is eligible for a booster should be vaccinated, and everyone should be vaccinated. Masks must be worn indoors.

At SAISD, Thompson said neither vaccines nor masks are necessary, but strongly recommended.

“Vaccination is the most powerful mitigation measure.

Thompson said the school district uses MERV-13 air filters in all buildings, which the EPA says can trap small airborne particles, including viruses, and regularly disinfects classrooms. very seriously, and all of them, especially after someone has tested positive for COVID.

What about monkeypox? Dr. Burton said children are at low risk of contracting the virus at school.

“The virus is spread primarily through very close physical contact, intimate contact, kissing, hugging, or contact with someone’s bedding or laundry with active lesions,” Burton said.

So far, monkeypox doesn’t seem to be a major threat to children in normal school life, but if that changes, they’ll be able to avoid it from the past two years of pandemic school days, Thompson said. I was told that I would find a way to manage it.