With the dramatic rise in the COVID-19 Delta variant in Alabama, especially among children and adolescents, Children’s Hospital of Alabama (Children’s of Alabama) strongly recommends the following to help keep our children safe from the spread of the virus as they return to school and school activities:
- Masking for students in the in-person school setting, regardless of vaccination status
- All others, especially unvaccinated adults, should wear masks inside buildings at all times, especially around children under 12 years of age, who are not yet eligible for vaccination.
- Full vaccination for all those who are 12 and older
- Avoid large crowds and socially distance to the extent possible
- Handwashing and/or the use of hand sanitizer
While each school district must decide the best ways to safeguard its students, Children’s of Alabama firmly believes that masking, social distancing and vaccination are most effective in preventing the spread of the virus.
These steps will help to keep Alabama’s children in school, learning and healthy.