As schools continue to roll out back to school plans, health officials across the globe continue to say kids are at minimal risk of becoming seriously ill from the coronavirus, and keeping them out of school could cause more to them.

Dave Remmert is the Executive Director of the DeWitt/Piatt Bi-County Health Department and points out there are many unintended consequences of keeping kids away from school. He indicates kids thrive on the social interactions and says there are experts are recommending kids be back in school.

Many do not like the comparison to the flu season but Remmert points out the CDC in their back-to-school guidance even compared the pandemic to the traditional flu season and its impacts on the school-age population.

According to Remmert, studies are also showing kids are less likely to contract the virus and when they do, they are asymptomatic. He points out that means asymptomatic kids are unlikely to be spreaders.

Protocols for what happens when staff or students test positive likely are to come from local and state health departments. Remmert indicates social distancing is going to be a key to the reaction to positive cases. 

Remmert says the idea of a remote learning and in-person learning plan is sometimes necessary for districts because of overcrowded classrooms. He does not have concerns about sending kids back to school because school-age kids are at very little risk of the coronavirus. He adds he would send his kids back to school under these circumstances.