I had to step out recently for essentials and was very surprised to find children in my society playing together in play areas and parks, without masks and without social distancing..they were in close contact and no one had sanitizers with them.. My friend posted pics of a picnic in outskirts of city in which her family and many other families had joined...with kids.. In my neighboring apartment complex too where my relative lives, it’s the same story...about 10 to 15 kids play together daily in the children play areas, no masks.... In all cases, Kids had happily taken off their masks and were huddled together... What is the idea behind all this? Are they assuming that Covid is over and nothing will happen? “This is one way to gain immunity” Or because kids are too tiring to manage at home so letting them play together outside will give them free time? Kids are too aggressive and refuse to sit at home without meeting friends.. They just do not care, and are ready to take risk but not give up normal life and believe that life goes on despite Covid? Also saw an online survey about reopening of schools in different states in India, in which many parents of 5-10 year old kids mentioned that they’re ready to send kids to school if school reopens ( before vaccine) I love kids, and cringed from within thinking about the health of these innocent lives and hoping they all are safe...
“ Vinaasha Kaale Vipareetha Buddhi ” That crisp Sanskrit secular dictum, co-opts Gods in ancient Latin. [source] The saying Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad, sometimes given in Latin as Quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat (literally: Those whom God wishes to destroy, he first deprives of reason) or Quem Iuppiter vult perdere, dementat prius (literally: Those whom Jupiter wishes to destroy, he first deprives of reason) has been used in English literature since at least the 17th century. Although falsely attributed to Euripides, the phrase has classical Greek antecedents.
In many countries children are considered to have very tiny chance of getting infected and are also not seen as potential carriers of the virus. Statistics also support this to an extent. Hence countries don’t see the need to impose corona restrictions like wearing maks/ distancing etc., on kids. There will be none who cares for the child’s well-being more than the parent. Sending kids outdoors does not necessarily mean getting rid of them because they are too tiring to manage. It has been an year since the world is dealing with the virus. Children cannot be confined to indoors for this long. It has an impact on them mentally and health wise as well. Children need outdoor activities for their overall well-being. Weighing the odds, parents choose what they choose. Each parent makes a choice that’s best in their view for their child. We would also do the same if we have one. Better do what’s best for us and leave whats happening around as long as it does not affect us.
Ok... But in many cases, kids have been found to be asymptomatic carriers of coronavirus.. And in other countries, there was steep increase in cases after reopening of schools.. So I cannot accept entirely that children are at low risk of getting infected or spreading it to others... I’m in India , and I’m of the opinion that kids under age of ten are better kept indoors...but that’s just me... A friend of mine doesn’t let her kid who is in high school, go outdoors unsupervised, unless accompanied by either parent.. Another relative lets her 8 year old kid play and mingle freely with friends and attend all kind of group events like get togethers and picnics.. Totally an individual choice. Anyways, just an observation and concern on my part.... Every parent can do what he or she thinks is right , it’s ultimately their responsibility only.
The pandemic has raised many such questions. Where does one draw the line between personal choice and social responsibility? As there is often someone more careful than one is, and less careful than one is, it is hard to say. Any act that increases the chance of getting Covid or spreading it is questionable. I think it is fine to observe such things, comment on them and wonder what makes us do what we do while respecting their right to their own choices. I have a friend whose son, a freshman in college does not want to go back to campus later this month. The college is 4 hours away by flight. All classes are online, some students are living in mostly empty dorms - single rooms. The reason I got was that living away from home will make the child independent. I could not keep my mouth shut.. asked her if so why not get him an apartment nearer to home? We in our family could simply not comprehend why would anyone force a reluctant child to go live on campus during a pandemic. Why invite the avoidable air travel?
Children are less likely to get infected or have serious cases of Covid but they can still be asymptomatic carriers and transmit to others. That’s why masks are important for everyone. The CDC does not recommend masks for children under 2, but most daycares in my area require all kids over that age to be masked to the furthest extent possible.
It’s called socially irresponsible behaviour by the parents. By now most parents would have known that children have less fatality though it’s not null. But the kids spread the disease just like others which can cause serious illnesses to adults, elderly and the vulnerable. If as adults and parents we don’t teach responsibility to the kids who else would do. Parents are the role models for kids. The parents if they teach kids that it’s in the best interests of other people that we stay home and maintain distance, wear masks and practice personal hygiene, the kids would follow them. If we don’t follow it and make an easy way out for relaxing then it’s our failure to inculcate good habits in our kids. Teaching kids in the midst of pandemic is our responsibility for our social behaviour changes. Would the same parents allow the kids to play if the case fatalities of kids were similar to the elderly? They wouldn’t obviously. So what makes them allow their kids now to play? It’s just that they don’t bother about other people in society. That’s all. Unfortunately we see such things more around us but we just have to do what is right and make changes and advice our kids as well. We can’t change some people behaviour.
"Weighing the odds" and "each parent makes a choice that's best in their view" sums it up well for me. 1. Some parents who are WFH choose to send their children to daycare six hours a day. 2. Some parents whose children attend school online choose to send their children out to play for an hour. 3. Both 1 and 2 are choices parents make. 4. Daycares requiring kids to wear masks while in the playground kids are playing without masks is a tiny difference. Maybe the playground kids are in some sort of social bubble. How careful can the daycare kids aged 2-5 years be about keeping masks on when parents are not around? How much can the daycare staff supervise that masks are being worn properly by the kids? 5. Ideally, people would have the common sense to follow the latest guidelines. But, when the likes of Dr. Fauci, with good reason, say this in March 2020: "... there's no reason to be walking around with a mask. not against masks, but worried about health care providers and sick people needing them. masks can lead to unintended consequences such as people touching their face when they fiddle with their mask."Then, don't expect the general public to take the wear masks guidelines seriously a few months later. I am not defending the parents who send their kids out to play with no masks, no hand sanitizer, no social distancing. More like providing some context for their choice.
