School was a place to feel safe. Most children clambered onto buses or were dropped off at the entrance and rushed into class with not a thought of anything dangerous. They trusted the teachers, the building, their parents. Now, teachers may or may not be masked. Children may or may not be masked. In both cases, children are left feeling unsettled with feelings of insecurity. Parents are riddled with confusion and guilt regardless of what the school rules are.
The CDC has recommended masks for all students regardless of their vaccination status. That situation is fluid as statistics are analyzed about the variants. States take sides and either mandate masking or mandate the right to refuse masks. The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes the challenge facing parents to make decisions to keep their children safe and they suggest individual choice in the matter allowing parents to weigh the risks.[i]
Inflated statistics have ignited the “risk” factor to an unnecessary stress level for parents. “To date, out of more than 74 million children in the United States, there have been about 300 COVID-19 deaths and a few thousand serious illnesses. By comparison, the CDC registered 188 flu-related deaths in children during the 2019-2020 flu season.”[ii] Parents would love to see a “zero” as amount who have died because for most parents 1 in a million and 1 in a thousand still equates to “it’s not zero” in their minds.
There are risks in life. Sadly, children die. The CDC reports that drowning is still the number one cause of death for infants in the United States. There are an average of 11 accidental drownings of children per day.[iii] Leading causes of death for children is automobile accidents. Over the span of the Pandemic lifetime, 49,000 Americans under 18 have died of causes not related to Covid. The infection fatality rate for Covid for ages 5-9 years is less than 0.001. From the very beginning of the Pandemic outbreak, children were considered safe.[iv]
Fear is a real thing. Feeling safe is a human priority. Risk is weighed daily from the decisions we make regarding our health, to the car we choose to drive and the entertainment we engage in. Trust, for the Christian, comes from the Lord. We can decide to put our trust in the things of the world and accept the risk or we can put our trust in the things of the Lord. We can educate ourselves and make the best decisions based on that education and prayerfully consider our choices. God is not a God of fear, nor is he the God of “out to get you”. He intends to prosper us. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11-12. Christian parents, God has plans for your child. Trust in the Lord with all your heart.
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[i] https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2021-08-05/mask-mandate-bans-spark-confusion-concern-as-unvaccinated-kids-head-to-school [ii] https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/05/25/997467734/childrens-risk-of-serious-illness-from-covid-19-is-as-low-as-it-is-for-the-flu [iii] https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/facts/index.html [iv] https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/07/the-kids-were-safe-from-covid-the-whole-time.html
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