After most of the country's school districts were forced into virtual learning in the spring as a result of the growing coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Nathaniel Beers, president of the HSC Health Care System, told Cheddar it is necessary for students to return to class in-person this coming fall.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, for which Beers also serves as a member of the council of health, made the recommendation. Beers said the impact of children missing in-person interaction could be more damaging than actually contracting COVID-19.
"The impact on lack of access to adequate nutrition, lack of access to social and emotional supports, mental and behavioral supports, special education supports all impact the community of kids in different ways and families in different ways," he added.
While many businesses consider staggered or modified schedules for its adult workers, Beers said children should be in school "as much as possible" and "as many children as possible should be in school for in-school instruction," and warned keeping kids at home will exacerbate existing disparities in communities.
"That, however, is going to look very different in different communities based on the disease burden that they have, based on the resources that they have, to ensure that staff and students, and families, can all be protected if schools are going to be open," Dr. Beers noted.
Despite the recommendation, officials are still deciding how to hold school, considering health experts are still learning about the impacts of COVID-19. Beers said that while he was initially not convinced that in-person schooling was the way to go, he has changed his mind as more research indicates children, as a group, appear to be among those least impacted by the virus.
"The data has been increasing over the past six months," he said. "Children are less likely to get the disease. They are less likely to spread the disease to others. Children are less likely to give it to other kids and other adults and they are less likely to have complications from the disease."
As some states move forward with steps to reopen, according to Beers, the primary focus should be on schools rather than other operations more likely to inflate the number of confirmed cases, as in Florida and Texas.
"There was really a lack of comprehensive guidance that was helping schools think about what are the critical pieces that they need to undertake in order to ensure that kids can return to school and that schools can be prepared to safely have staff in buildings as well," he said.
While the school year is still weeks away for many students, parents considering playdates or summer camp for their children today should know "outdoor is better than indoor" and making smart decisions about potential health impacts should be the primary concern before letting children interact with others, Beers said.
"The longer you are inside in poor ventilation, the higher likelihood you are to create an exposure that will put you at higher risk for getting the virus," he added.
With Martin Luther King Jr. Day fast approaching, Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C. 6th District), the House Majority Whip, talked about the importance of honoring the iconic civil rights activist. "As we consider the life and celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., let's think about who and what we are as a country, and whether or not we're going to give up on the ideals of this country or continue to press forward," he said. Clyburn also discussed the push for new voting legislation, the For the People Act and the John Lewis Act, as well as the fate of the Senate filibuster.
It was 'game on' for sports bettors in the state of New York, as mobile betting kicked off on four major betting operating platforms Saturday. This comes at an exciting time for sports fans with some of the biggest NFL games of the season right around the corner. Cam Rogers - Host of Lock It In with Cam Rogers, Betting Analyst at the Bleav Podcast Network joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
The United States purchased over 600,000 doses of a monoclonal antibody treatment from Glaxosmithkline and Vir Biotechnology, bringing the total worldwide doses purchased to 1.7 million. This comes as the country attempts to ramp up treatment options as cases of the omicron variant continue to surge. Dr. Asha Shah, Director of Infectious Diseases at Stamford Health joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Former wide receiver for the New York Giants, Victor Cruz has partnered with Krystal Restaurants, a popular burger chain in the South, to bring the franchise to his home state of New Jersey. Cruz and Alice Crowder, CMO of Krystal Restaurants, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the venture. The five new locations will be known as "Victor Cruz's Krystal," decked out with memorabilia from his football career, with the former player explaining how "hands-on" he plans on being. "You never know, OK? You might walk in and Victor Cruz will be flipping a burger back there, and you might be getting it directly from the source," he said.
Max Bichsel, vice president at Gambling.com Group joins Cheddar News to talk about the growing sports betting industry, New York legalizing mobile betting, and 2022 predictions for the sector.
Cody Roark, NFL analyst at Pro Football Network joins Cheddar News to talk about NFL playoff predictions and which teams have a shot at the Super Bowl.
Mario Stefanidis, Vice President of Research at Roundhill Investments, joined Wake Up With Cheddar to break down the implications of the Take-Two deal to purchase Zynga, as the gaming giant looks to become a major player in mobile gaming.
Covid cases have started to spike again across the nation, and this time they seem to be hitting some of our youngest and most vulnerable - school-aged children. School districts across the nation - including the country's largest public school system in New York City- are all grappling with what to do as teachers and students alike continue to miss school in droves.
Katie Honan, reporter for the New York City-based non profit news organization, The City explains how educational leaders across the country are handling covid demands from both teachers and parents alike.
For the first time since September, Bitcoin fell below $40,000 early Monday. The currency's average short-term price has now dipped below its average long-term price, which is known by a rather dramatic term, a death cross. According to analysts, the indicator appears to be a result of mounting concerns of faster liquidity withdrawal by the US Federal Reserve. The crypto slump also follows a week of rough trading for equities overall. CEO Snickerdoodle Labs and Co-Founder of the Stanford Future of Digital Currency Initiative, Jonathan Padilla, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
