In COVID-19 hotspots across the US reports of an inflammatory disease infecting children has put some parents on alert. There are no confirmed cases of the disease in Summit County.
National reports of a mysterious inflammatory syndrome affecting children is suspected to be related to COVID-19. While national experts are starting to learn more about the syndrome, Summit County Health Director Rich Bullough says they haven’t had any confirmed reports of the syndrome in Summit County.
“It's a pretty horrifying potential outcome of this disease,” Bullough said. “I think that should remind us that while there's still a perception among a lot of people that this stuff isn't bad, it is very dangerous. We need to take precautions to protect ourselves and others. Again, I don't know if we've had any cases in Summit County.”
Preventing spread of the disease among children is incredibly difficult. Bullough explains that it is not recommended for children to wear masks.
“The masks don't fit them,” Bullough continued. “Also they tend to touch the masks a lot, and they aren't washing their hands as often as an adult should. So, if they're touching areas that are dirty and reaching up and touching their face, there is some evidence that there's actually an increased risk of disease transmission.”
Despite all that if Utah stays in the yellow-low risk phase, parents can expect their children to return to school this fall.
“It doesn't say how they're going to open, and I don't have any inside information related to that,” Bullough explained. “There are schools that are very very large across our state and across our country. I have a hard time seeing business as usual. I have a hard time seeing close to 1,000 kids gathering in the lunch room and sitting in close proximity to each other. Again they are forecast to open, but I don't know what those guidelines are going to be. And of course we don't know where we're going to be with respect to COVID-19 when the school year approaches.”
While schools will remain closed for the conclusion of the academic year, it is expected that drivers ed courses and summer school will be available as well in the yellow phase.
