OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Classrooms are full again, and students of all ages are back together. Doctors at CHI Health expect there could be an increase in COVID-19 cases with back-to-school.
"I'd expect a bump up. But hopefully not to enormous amounts especially if people are pretty good on their vaccines," Dr. David Quimby with CHI Health, said.
They encourage families and students to follow basic hygiene.
"When you are in a congregate setting in a classroom, you are at high risk for getting (an) infection. So just knowing all the tools we have, masking, hand hygiene, distancing," Dr. Renuga Vivekanandan, CHI Health, said.
And in addition to vaccinations, testing and staying home, if you have symptoms is still important.
"If your child has some sort of symptoms, even if they are not that sick, getting tested is good. Because yeah your kid might end up being home, but you are helping out other kids too and maybe making it more likely that they can remain in class," Quimby said.
The CDC recently changed its guidance and CHI doctors said the focus is on keeping students in school as much as possible.
"If you are exposed you don't have to quarantine. Wear a mask for 10 days and get tested if possible at day five," Vivekanandan said.
Doctors said if you are testing at home and receive a negative test, wait 24 hours and test again.
And while kids go back to school this year with COVID present, yet again, doctors hope to raise awareness of Monkeypox, including on college campuses.
"If there are some cases, possibly you could have spread, so more awareness we spread in the college community is going to be really important," Vivekanandan said.
The spread of Monkeypox for the most part is through skin-to-skin contact. Doctors are focused on making sure it is identified early.
"If you have a concern, new lesions, something like that bring it up, there is nothing wrong with asking," Quimby said.
CHI encourages all families and students to use the back-to-school season as a good time to get up to date on all your vaccines.
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