Why Are We Still Scaring Kids About Covid-19?

From the onset of the Pandemic, there has been one consistent fact.  The Covid-19 virus has not posed a significant threat to the kids – those under 18 years of age.  This is also true of the variants – including the latest Delta variant. 

While variants produce slightly different outcomes, those differences are statistically miniscule.  So far, the vaccines are effective against all variants — and while the Delta variant does produce a uptick among the kids, it is – according to the experts – miniscule.

The number of kids who contract Covid-19 is very low and the number of serious cases and deaths are extremely rare.  In an interview with the New York Times, Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist with John Hopkins Medical School said, “I haven’t seen data to make me particularly worried about Delta in kids.”

The needless fearmongering over the exaggerated impact of the variants – as opposed to the medical and statistical facts – has led some medical authorities to call them “scariants.”  W.I.R.E.D magazine headlined an article dealing with variants with, “The US has a Covid “Scariants” Problem.

According to figure produced by the Center for Disease Control, kids between the ages of 1 and 14 have a death rate from Covid-19 of two-tenths of one percent.  That puts it behind drowning, vehicle accidents, cancer, flu, cardio/vascular disease, suicide, suffocation and even homicide, which surprisingly is the third leading cause of childhood deaths.

The kids are even at less risk as more of the adults get vaccinated – the parents, grandparents, and the teachers.  Virtually every analysis shows that kids are safer in schools than at home – although the difference again is marginal.

But fearmongering – and the narrow interests of the school unions to keep teachers at home – have done more harm to the kids than the Covid.  We have terrorized and traumatized them with sensationalized reports in the media.  We have taken them away from the education and socialization they NEED more than they even need the vaccine.

To underscore the fearmongering, we made them wear masks and kept away form the hugs and kisses of loved ones.  For the kids, Covid-19 was turned into a boogeyman that made them feel at risk of sickness and death. By closing their schools – and keeping them closed for too long – we heightened the fear of returning to the classroom.  We gave the impression that their schools were cesspools of disease.

We have seen the damage we have down to their development – and mental and emotional wellbeing.  And it was all unnecessary.  It is time to get the kids back in school WITHOUT restrictions that serve no health purpose – but only keep them worried about the boogeyman.

So, there ‘tis.