Will Daily Covid-19 Temperature Checks Help Get Kids Back To School?

From Forbes

Pro tip if you send your kids to school: Don’t send them if they have a fever. You already knew that. But this year, don’t sneak in a dose of Tylenol before you get them to the bus.

The issue of whether or not schools in the U.S. will resume in-person this fall remains a source of heated debate. Hotter than any fever, for that matter. As of today, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos remains steadfast in her statement that children need to return to the classroom. In person. On the other hand, teachers’ unions, including the United Teachers Los Angeles, with 30,000 members participating, voted a resounding “no” on opening school doors for the fall semester. The Los Angeles Unified School district is the second largest in the country next to New York City, and is responsible for the education of over 700,000 children. Many of these children rely on schools for meals, daytime housing and childcare, and social support. Many also rely on schools as a safe space, as teachers are often the ones who report concerns for child domestic abuse to DCFS (Department of Child and Family Services).

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement in late June strongly advocating for in-person instruction in schools. Just weeks later, the academy pulled back on these strong recommendations, especially given the recent sharp rises in coronavirus cases and deaths in many states throughout the country. They have now placed further emphasis on local school districts, communities, and regional coronavirus case volume as a way to better target decision-making. And as many have said, the concerns of students becoming infected extends to teachers, staff, families, and the community overall.

Guidelines on how to safely reopen schools began to be considered soon after schools shut down this past March. These guidelines include physical distancing of desks six feet apart, universal masking, plexiglass barriers, face shields, more outdoor time, and daily screening. Not testing, but screening. If you’ve been to a doctor or dentist’s office, a restaurant, airport, or various other business offices in the past few months, you’ve probably been screened for Covid-19 symptoms. Some basic screening questions usually include:

• Have you had a fever in the past 14 days?
• Do you currently have a cough, fever or body aches?
• Have you been exposed to someone with Covid-19 in the past 14 days?
• Is anyone in your home experiencing Covid-19 symptoms or Covid-19?
• Have you traveled in the past 14 days?

You then get your temperature checked, either by a hand-held infrared wand, or by a camera-like sensor perched on a stand. Schools have initiated daily screening, in the form of in-person questionnaires, or more often, apps, to be filled out by each family and for each student every day. The students and staff will then get temperature checks on arrival to the school or before getting on the bus.