TEMPLE, Texas — Bell County is now seeing a COVID-19 case rate of 299 cases per 100,000 population and some school districts will be bringing kids back in less than a month. With the latest Omicron subvariants even more contagious than previous versions, according to health experts, that has some nervous.
Fortunately, there are some things parents can do to keep their kids, and school districts, healthier this year.
McLane Children's Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dominic Lucia shared five tips for keeping families safe as the new school year begins.
1. Test your kid for COVID early if they start showing cold or flu symptoms
The latest Omicron subvariants (BA.4, BA.5) are more contagious but often present the same symptoms as a cold, flu, or allergies. This makes it difficult to diagnose, though Lucia said kids often didn't develop the loss of taste or smell that previous versions of the virus were known to cause for adults.
He said parents need to have kids tested early if they develop any possible COVID symptoms. If the kids, or anyone in their family, are immunocompromised, or have other conditions that make them vulnerable to the virus, Lucia suggests scheduling a PCR test with a medical professional.
"It comes down to the risk factors of the patient and the people that they are around. Obviously not everyone can get a PCR test... but if you are in a high-risk situation: The kid has chronic lung problems, asthma, they are around grandparents that have COPD or diabetes, then you are going to considering getting that more accurate, time consuming PCR test."
2. Get your kid a COVID-19 booster shot
According to the CDC, kids 5 years and older can get a COVID-19 booster shot. Learn more about booster shot eligibility here. Lucia said getting a booster shot is still the best way to keep your child, and family members, from being hospitalized with COVID-19.
"The big tool that is still out there that can prevent hospitalizations is the vaccine," Lucia said.
3. Keep your kid home if they are sick
Whether your child gets sick now, or during the start of school, Lucia said it is best for sick individuals to stay home to stop the spread of the virus. With the virus still showing a wide range of symptoms, it is difficult to rule out Omicron until at least a home test is used. Lucia said it's safer to cancel the your child's summer plans or keep them home from school.
4. Build Healthy sleeping and eating habits
Omicron isn't the only virus out there and kids pass around plenty of germs in the classroom. Lucia said building healthy habits now will mean your child is better off when they go back to class. This includes establishing an earlier bedtime so your child is not sleep deprived when they go back to a school schedule, putting an early focus on better nutrition, and making sure your child is accustomed to drinking plenty of water. That's even more important if they are playing sports in the Texas heat.
"As we approach school, start firm times for them to be off the internet, be done playing videogames, and be off their phones so they can learn optimally this coming school year," Lucia said.
5. Get sports physicals and flu shots scheduled
Lucia said it's easy to wait until the last minute to schedule a physical exam for your child or turn in any medical forms they may need. There are also non-COVID vaccines to worry about. Get those done sooner rather than later.