TAMPA — A new semester just started and now more students are set to return to in-person learning this week.
“There is a concern there. We have to make sure that even in our schools we practice these really important public health measures that we’ve been stressing,” said Dr. Michael Teng, Associate Professor of Medicine at The University of South Florida.
As a reminder, school officials are asking parents to pay special attention to their child’s health.
Medical experts say it’s crucial parents are looking for COVID-19 symptoms, to help limit virus spread.
All Tampa Bay Area school districts are pushing for families to do health checks every morning before students come on campus.
Officials say students should not return to school if they’re sick, experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or if they’ve been exposed to someone who tested positive for the virus.
Check for signs like headache, nausea, fever, chills, cough, gastrointestinal issues, and fatigue.
Experts tell us taking these extra steps could make a big difference in limiting the spread.
Doctors say, more students now coming on campus create even more opportunity for transmission.
Not only is it important for parents to watch for COVID-19 symptoms, experts say they should also be mindful of who their family comes in contact with and avoid high risk activities.
“Kids don’t seem to get super sick with the virus which is a good thing but that also is kind of a bad thing because they can have more silent transmission within the schools and if kids transmit within the schools and bring it back out, it can spread that way,” said Teng.