Quandary for parents, schools: Is it a headache? Or COVID?

A local expert in infectious diseases advises to err on the side of caution.

A NEW REPORT SAYS NEARLY100-THOUSAND AMERICAN CHILDRENTESTED POSITIVE FOR THECORONAVIRUS IN THE LAST TWOWEEKS OFJULY.THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OFPEDIATRICS AND THE CHILDREN'SHOSPITAL ASSOCIATION SAYSTHERE WAS A 40 PERCENTINCREASE IN CASES INVOLVINGCHILDREN IN THE 49 STATES THEYSTUDIED.OVERALL, THEWASHINGTON POST SAYS CHILDRENMAKE UP ABOUT 9 PERCENT OF ALLVIRUS CASES IN THE U.S.AND THE QUESTION THAT ITRAISES... IS IT POSSIBLE FORSCHOOLS TO BE COVID-FREE?ACCORDING TO A LOCALINFECTIOUS DISEASE MEDICALDIRECTOR -- THAT'S A CHALLENGE.REPORTER RAVEN RICHARD TELLSUS HOW COMMON ACHES AND PAINSCOULD CAUSE YOUR CHILD TO MISSSCHOOLCOVID-19 CASES IN KIDS ARESHOWING UP AS SCHOOLS ACROSSTHE NATION BEGIN TO OPEN.SCHOOLS IN DEARBORN COUNTY ARETHE FIRST ONES TO START IN OURAREA.

SOME SCHOOLS ARE PUSHINGBACK THE START DATE WHILEOTHERS CONSIDER ONLINE ONLYFOR RIGHT NOW."I think between now andSeptember 15th or so, thefirst month, is going to betelling and we'll be able tofind out whether we have theright plans in place or not."DOCTOR STEPHEN BLATT, MEDICALDIRECTOR FOR INFECTIOUSDISEASES AT TRI-HEALTH SIMPLYSAYS,"I think it's almostinevitable that schools willsee covid cases." IN INDIANA,KENTUCKY, AND OHIO, CASES FORCHILDREN 18 AND UNDER COMEJUST SHORT OF 10 PERCENT OFEACH STATE'S TOTAL.

AS SCHOOLSBEGIN, A SIMPLE STOMACHACHE ORHEADACHE COULD TRIGGERCONCERNS FOR SCHOOLADMINISTRATORS."I think that's one of thereally difficult problems withcovid is it has such a widevariety of symptoms that it'shard to know which studentsshould be excluded from schooland which shouldn't." ON SOUTHDEARBORN COMMUNITY SCHOOLCORPORATION'S WEBSITE IT LISTSSTEPS PARENTS SHOULD TAKE IFTHEIR CHILD SHOWS SYMPTOMS.THIS INCLUDES INFORMING THESCHOOL LEADERS, ISOLATION, ANDTAKING A COVID-19 TEST."you sure don't want your kidto be the one to start anoutbreak in school so have alow index of suspicion to gettested and keep your childhome if they're not well."ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FORDISEASE CONTROL CHILDREN ARELESS LIKELY TO HAVE SEVERECOMPLICATIONS FROM COVID-19BUT THEY CAN STILL GET SICK.IN KENTUCKY, GOVERNOR BESHEARIS recommending schools waituntil September 28th to startback in-person classes AND INOHIO----GOVERNOR DEWINE ISEXPECTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE ONSCHOOLS ?TOMORROW AFTERNOON?.REPORTING FOR THE TRI-STATE,RAVEN RICHARD, WCPO 9 NEWS.