Weekly Update for 6.4.21

COVID-19 Guidance for Kids and Summer Activities

As this school year closes, many kids are looking forward to fun, carefree summer holidays. Whether your child will spend these next weeks in camps, with family, with neighborhood friends, or traveling, you may have questions about how best to manage summer break while keeping your child safe from COVID.

If your child is at least 12 years old, they can be vaccinated with Pfizer vaccine. Once fully vaccinated, your child can enjoy normal summer activities and you'll know they're at very little risk of catching or spreading the virus.

But if your child is younger than 12 or is not vaccinated, they are at risk of exposure and precautions are still needed.

Unvaccinated children older than age 2 should wear masks in public settings, particularly where social distancing is not possible. Masks help protect your child and those around your child from exposure.

Consider choosing summer activities with lower risk. These activities include exploring the outdoors, taking a road trip with members of your household, or visiting vaccinated friends or family from another household. If your child loves sports, encourage lower-risk activities like outdoor skills-building, conditioning, tennis, soccer drills, passing and catching a football, or swimming.

If your child is interested in summer camps, find out what COVID-19 precautions are in place. Some camps may require negative COVID-19 tests prior to the first day of camp. Some require masks and/or have limited capacity to keep the groups small. Don't hesitate to ask questions about how they're working to protect your child.

You may want to monitor infection rates in your community when deciding how much to allow your child to venture out. Being in crowds and poorly ventilated spaces puts unvaccinated people, including children, at higher risk for COVID-19.

Of course, no activity is totally free of risk, whether from COVID or any other concern. Every parent must weigh the risks of exposure against the benefits of finally interacting with others, and make choices that feel best for their family.

Mobile Clinics in the Coastal Health District

The Coastal Health District and CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) are expanding their mobile COVID-19 vaccination operations in Savannah, Brunswick, and beyond.

These pop-up vaccination clinics are open to anyone age 12 and older, and there is no cost for vaccine. You can pre-register for an appointment, but walk-ups are also welcome.

To see a list of upcoming events, visit: 

• Savannah area sites: savannahvax.coreresponse.org
• Brunswick and beyond: brunswickvax.coreresponse.org

Your Vaccine Story

- Nicole S., Brunswick

See more stories at YourVaccineStory.com

Q: Can the COVID-19 virus spread to people through water in pools, hot tubs, or water playgrounds?

A: There are no known reports of the COVID-19 virus spreading to people through the water in pools, hot tubs, or water playgrounds.

The main way the virus spreads is through respiratory droplets from person to person. So even though it's unlikely you would get the virus through the water, if you're in close contact with an infected person, it's possible you could be exposed. That's why it's still important for all visitors and staff to take precautions. Stay home if you are sick, and if you're not fully vaccinated, stay at least 6 feet apart (in and out of the water) from people outside your household.