Helen Robinson: Why I am sending my kids back to school

Helen Robinson and her daughters Neve, 8, and Isla, 12. She is willing to send their children back to school at level 2 of the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic. Photo / Alex Burton

Opinion

I am not remotely concerned about my three daughters returning to school on Monday. In fact, I am glad they are returning for their own health and social wellbeing.

I also know my daughters will be safe returning to school. While Covid-19 is a highly contagious virus, there is an overwhelming amount of medical reports that indicate children don't pass it on and rarely present serious symptoms. The death rate due to Covid-19 for any otherwise healthy person under 20 is extremely low.

The counter view: Why I'm not sending my kids to school

Therefore, my daughters are unlikely to be infected with Covid-19 from their peers. If they are infected, they will likely show few, if any, symptoms and are highly unlikely to die from the virus.

There is an illness in children similar to Kawasaki syndrome that has been linked to Covid-19. However, it is rare, the symptoms have also been observed in children who tested negative for Covid-19, and there may be a link to a demographic that is also vitamin D deficient.

What I don't know are the health effects on all New Zealand children due to the lockdown itself and the recession that will follow. The consequences of the health screening put on hold during the lockdown, and other health consequences of the lockdown itself, worry me more than Covid-19.

Further, with the focus on Covid-19, we seem to have forgotten that New Zealand has some of the worst childhood wellbeing statistics in the OECD and that will only worsen due to the lockdown and subsequent recession. For that reason, I am relieved that children who consider school their "safe place" can now return.

For my own daughters, it is time to get back to the classroom for the social interaction as much as the learning. The teachers at the schools my children attend have done a fantastic job with online learning, however nothing beats actual facetime in the classroom.

I know there will be an emotional wrench watching them head out the door on Monday after such a long time together in our "bubble", however I will not be worried for their safety any more than usual.