Kids are revved up for summer. Temperatures are sizzling. Masks are off, for the most part, because most of the novel coronavirus pandemic restrictions have been lifted.
But wait. The youngest children can't get a COVID-19 vaccine yet. And just about 2 in 5 of people eligible have been vaccinated around here, which means a majority hasn't.
Will your kids have to be masked all summer? Can you take them into an ice cream parlor? What about swimming? To gain some insight, we asked Cincinnati-area infectious disease experts, "If you have children or grandchildren under age 12, would you do this, doc?"
Here's who responded:
- Dr. Jennifer Forrester, associate professor of infectious diseases at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and associate chief medical officer at UC Health.
- Dr. Thomas Lamarre, infectious disease specialist, Christ Hospital.
- Dr. Robert Frenck, infectious disease specialist and director of the Gamble Vaccine Research Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
- Dr. Dheeraj Goyal, infectious disease specialist, Mercy Health-Infectious Disease, Fairfield.
Here's what we asked, and what they said.
Summer camp - outside only? Masks?
Question 1: Would you send them to summer day camps that are only outside? Wearing a mask?
Forrester: "We have learned that ventilation helps decrease the risk of acquiring COVID-19. I would allow my children to attend summer camps outside. If they are in close proximity in a large group or indoors, I would want them to put on a mask."
Lamarre: "Yes, I would do this. Generally speaking, I would not have them wear a mask outside."
Frenck: "Kids under 12 still are at risk for COVID. In fact, in the U.S. over the past few weeks, 24% of the new cases of COVID have been in kids. As kids only represent 17% of the population, that means kids are getting infected at a higher rate than expected if infection were equal across age groups. So, at this point, we need to have kids under 12 continue with the same routine of social distancing, masks and good hygiene. By the end of the year, maybe sooner, we hope to have a vaccine for kids 5 years of age and above."
Goyal: "For children who are older than 12 and are fully vaccinated two weeks prior to the event, it is OK to attend summer day camps outdoors or indoors without wearing a mask. However, for children who are unvaccinated or not yet eligible for vaccination, wearing a mask is still recommended by the CDC if they are older than 2 years of age and if they cannot adequately socially distance from others."
2. Send them to day camps that are inside a space (for example, a science camp or a drama camp)? Have them wear masks?
Forrester: "If the groups are small and they can maintain a 6-foot distance and wear masks, this would be reasonable (similar to attending school)."
Lamarre: "Yes, I would do this with masking in place."
Frenck: "To me, the issue is age of the child, not the space. While it is less risk for transmission outside than inside, it would be veryconfusing to a child to say, 'In this setting, you need to wear a mask, and in this setting, you don't.' People have asked why public health officials have suggested adults still wear masks if they have kids under 12. That is to not confuse kids. 'Why do I have to wear a mask if daddy, grandma and you don't?' "
Goyal: "If the children are between the ages of 2 and 12 years, or are older than 12 but are otherwise unvaccinated, I would recommend they wear a face mask covering face and nose when attending an indoor gathering."
3. Would you let them go to a public swimming pool with friends and another family?
Forrester: "We do go to the swimming pool. We've learned over the past year that the water in pools is not a mode of transmission for SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19). My unvaccinated kids still wear a mask if in close proximity to other unvaccinated kids."
Lamarre: "Yes, I would allow that."
Frenck: "I think this is a nuanced question. Going to the public pool, or water park is going to increase risk of transmission as you can't expect a child to wear a mask in the water. If it was a small party (10 or less, as we said for 'land-based' parties), I think the risk would be acceptably low."
Goyal: "If the friends and family are fully vaccinated at least two weeks before the event, I would feel comfortable letting my unvaccinated child use an outdoor swimming pool or beach without wearing a mask as long as he or she maintains adequate social distance from people whose vaccination status is unknown."
If they have to wear masks, should I?
4. Would you wear a mask when you’re out with them?
Forrester: "Since I am fully vaccinated, I do not wear a mask when outside and in a smaller crowd with other vaccinated individuals. I do wear a mask inside with larger groups of people when I do not know their vaccine status."
Lamarre: "No, I would not wear a mask with them – I am vaccinated."
Frenck: "Yes." (Frenck says in a previous answer that this will provide less confusion for young children. Also, they model adult behavior.)
Goyal: "Since I am fully vaccinated, I do not need to wear a mask outdoors or indoors, except when required by federal, state or local health laws or regulations, including local businesses, public transportation agencies, healthcare settings and workplace guidance."
5. Would you take them to grocery stores or other crowded venues where people are unmasked, inside?
Forrester: "Since my young kids have not yet had the opportunity to be vaccinated, I do not take them to inside locales where unvaccinated people may be unmasked."
Lamarre: "Yes, I would take them (but would try to avoid if possible) and have them wear a mask."
Frenck: "If the children are wearing masks and staying distanced, they should be fine. Again though, if you ask the children to do this, I would model the behavior I want them to do and wear a mask."
Goyal: "I do take my child to grocery stores with me, however, since my child is not yet eligible for vaccination, I keep him masked all the time when indoors, try to avoid crowded aisles and maintain adequate social distance from others."
Off to grandma's: take a mask or no?
6. Would you let them visit vaccinated grandparents? With masks? Without?
Forrester: "We do visit our fully vaccinated grandparents without masks (with their permission, of course). What we know about the vaccines is that they are highly effective at preventing serious disease from COVID-19. So even if the grandparents contracted the virus, they are very unlikely to get seriously ill from it since they had the vaccine series."
Lamarre: "Yes, I would allow them to visit grandparents – again, if grandparents are vaccinated, then masks are not required. If grandparents not vaccinated, both children and grandparents would have to wear masks."
Frenck: "If the grandparents are vaccinated, their risk of getting COVID or transmitting COVID should be very low. If the kids are healthy, they can go visit grandparents and not need to wear a mask. This answer is different from the answers above because … you know the grandparents are vaccinated."
Goyal: "If the grandparents are fully vaccinated, the grandparents do not need to wear a mask while visiting their unvaccinated but otherwise healthy grandchildren. The unvaccinated grandchildren older than 2 years of age, however, should wear their masks, if there are other unvaccinated people around them. This is even more important in indoor or crowded settings."
7. Take them to a baseball or soccer game?
Forrester: "Again, these outside venues offer the benefit of good ventilation. We still keep social distance when in crowds where the vaccine status of others is not known, though, and have a mask available for when social distancing becomes difficult."
Lamarre: "Yes, I would do that."
Frenck: "I am assuming you mean a professional game where there will be lots of people. This setting would warrant a mask even more than the camp setting. Parents should discuss with their kids ahead of time and let them know that many people won't be wearing masks. But, we need you to wear a mask to protect yourself and others. The vaccines soon will be available for your age and then we can go back to normal."
Goyal: "I would feel comfortable taking my unvaccinated child to a baseball or soccer game outdoors, however, I would advise him to wear a face mask at all times, unless we can maintain adequate social distance from people whose vaccination status is unknown. Fully vaccinated children do not need to wear masks at indoor or outdoor games, if they are two weeks out of the second dose of Pfizer vaccine."
8. Let them join friends at an ice cream shop, outside or inside?
Forrester: "I do not let my unvaccinated kids be inside eating (so naturally unmasked) with potentially other unvaccinated individuals. Outside where we can maintain some distance is a better option."
Lamarre: "Yes, I would let them pursue those activities – with masking indoors only."
Frenck: "I certainly would let them join friends at an ice cream shop or restaurant. However, it should be with small numbers of people and to wear a mask until the time you have the food or ice cream."
Goyal: "If all other people in the group are fully vaccinated, I would feel comfortable letting my child join friends or family at an ice cream shop, as long as they stay outside and stay socially distanced from people outside their group. Mask wearing is still advisable for unvaccinated children while indoors, especially when they cannot adequately socially distance from people with unknown vaccination status."
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