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The new school year began this week in many Central Florida districts.

AdventHealth Morning Briefing – August 13, 2020 https://t.co/Bs0JAQXd9w

— AdventHealth Central Florida (@AdventHealthCFL) August 13, 2020

AdventHealth’s Dr. Michael Keating said that parents should ask their children about their school day for a whole different set of reasons during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Keating’s comments came at a hospital briefing today as Central Florida schools reopen both virtually and in-person. 

He said parents should ask their kids about how the other students and teachers are doing when it comes to face mask wearing and social distancing. 

“And if the other children and the teachers aren’t doing the right things, you need to reconsider your situation, your decision.” 

Keating recommended parents closely monitor their children for symptoms like a dry cough and fever and lesser known ones like pink eye and a skin rash.

“The pink eye and something like a rash that a parent might think was a chicken pox or maybe a measles for example that’s something you need to be careful about because there are the more serious variants of COVID-19 in children that can get skin manifestations or get conjunctivitis.”

Keating says if children have these symptoms, moms and dads should check with their pediatrician and get them tested. 

He cautioned families that kids can act as carriers of the virus to higher risk teachers and older relatives or those with preexisting conditions. 

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