Why get vaccinated? For yourself, your children, your community

If your friends aren't vaccinated, find a way to be social outdoors. Be kind and honest with them.

By Brian McMillan
| 7:40 a.m. July 27, 2021

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

With school going back in session soon, how can you protect your child from getting COVID-19?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the best thing you can do is to get vaccinated yourself.

For me, the choice was easy. My wife, my two teenage sons and I have been fully vaccinated, and that has helped erase our fears of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 — including the delta variant. AdventHealth has reported a frightening surge of hospitalizations, and I don't want my family to become one of their statistics.

But I also have three children who are under 12, and while I am unlikely to infect them, they are at risk around other people who are unvaccinated. The CDC recommends that if your child is 2 or older, the child should wear a mask in public. “To set an example, you also might choose to wear a mask,” the CDC says.

Choices

I hope we can all respect each other’s choices and not assume we know people’s motivations for wearing or not wearing masks in public.

Masks will likely not be required in Florida schools; Gov. Ron DeSantis opposes any mandate.

I know many people who have declined to be vaccinated for various reasons, and I have come to accept that our community’s vaccination numbers will be somewhat of a patchwork, and, therefore, we will be living with COVID-19 for the foreseeable future. That means we will need to remain vigilant; our personal choices are the determining factor in how well our community weathers this storm.

If your friends aren't vaccinated, find a way to be social outdoors. Be kind and honest with them.

Are the vaccines safe?

The Centers for Disease Control are definitive on this question: Yes, COVID-19 vaccines are safe. A handful of adverse effects have been documented, but they are extremely rare and are still being studied to determine whether there is truly any connection to the vaccines themselves.

According to the CDC, of the 339 million doses of vaccines administered between Dec. 14, 2020, and July 19, 2021, there were as many as 6,207 deaths (or 0.0018% of total vaccine doses) that might have been related to the vaccine, although that is still unclear.

Meanwhile, 18,000 people died of COVID-19 in the United States in just one of those months — May 2021 — and 99% were unvaccinated, according to an Associated Press analysis.

In other words, you have a much greater chance of dying from COVID-19, if you’re unvaccinated, than you do of dying from a vaccine.

Join the club. All the cool kids are getting vaccinated.

If your child develops COVID symptoms at school ...

One of the most frustrating scenarios as a parent is when you suspect that your child is feigning sick. Unfortunately, I can't solve that problem for you, but, during the pandemic, even if my child is mildly sick, I keep her home.

What happens if you get a phone call from the school saying that your child is showing symptoms of COVID-19? No need to panic. But the child will need to be taken home.

Here’s how to go about it, according to the Centers for Disease Control:

1. Pick Up Your Child

If possible, pick up your child alone.
If possible, wait in the car for your child.
Everyone in the car should wear a mask except for children under 2 years old.
Open the car windows for ventilation.
If possible, wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting your car, as that allows more time for the amount of virus in the air of your car to die off.
If unable to pick up your child, work with your school to identify the best way to safely transport your child.
Arrange to pick up any of your child’s medical supplies (if applicable).

2. Keep your child at home and monitor their symptoms

Call your child’s healthcare provider to discuss whether your child needs to be evaluated and to determine options for getting tested for COVID-19.
If possible, have the sick child (and anyone else who has symptoms) keep away from others and use a separate bathroom for 10 days. When not able to keep away from others, a mask should be worn by all members of the household.
After being in contact with someone with COVID-19, it can take up to 14 days to know if you are sick. All members of the household should stay home and avoid contact with others outside of your home. An exception would be going to your doctor if advised.
Encourage everyone in the household to wash their hands often and avoid sharing personal household items with others (e.g., dishes, cups, towels, bedding).
Use an effective household disinfectant to clean “high-touch” surfaces and everyday items such as door handles, countertops, and faucets.

3. If your child tests positive for or is suspected of having COVID-19

If your child tests positive for COVID-19, notify the school.
Your child can return to in-person school only after:
- It has been at least 10 days since symptoms started and
- Overall symptoms have improved and
- Your child has had no fever for at least 24 hours (without fever reducing medication).

author

Brian McMillan

Brian McMillan and his wife, Hailey, bought the Observer in 2023. Before taking on his role as publisher, Brian was the editor from 2010 to 2022, winning numerous awards for his column writing, photography and journalism, from the Florida Press Association.