The New Normal: Is testing the key to keep kids safe and in school?

COVID-19 cases in the tri-state continue to surge just as children prepare to return to the classroom next week.

News 12 Staff

Dec 29, 2021, 3:14 PM

Updated 1,014 days ago

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News 12's Elizabeth Hashagen was joined by Dr. Sharon Nachman to discuss COVID-19 infections in children, COVID-19 testing, and the Omicron variant.
COVID-19 cases in the tri-state continue to surge just as children prepare to return to the classroom next week.
New measures were just announced in New York to try and keep schools open. Is testing the key to keep kids safe and in school?
As many Americans turn to at-home COVID-19 testing rather than waiting in line, the latest update from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and doctors suggest there's more to be learned about rapid tests when it comes to the Omicron variant.
In a statement released Tuesday, the FDA doubled down on its recommendations for symptomatic individuals who received a negative test to get tested again because even though rapid antigen tests can detect Omicron, they "may have reduced sensitivity."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director says the antigen test may not perform as well as it had for prior variants, but it is still picking up quite a bit of infection.
The U.S. is averaging 260 pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations a day, up nearly 30% from last week. What do we attribute this to?
Are vaccines working? How are vaccines protecting people?
What lies ahead? Cases lag behind exposures, and hospitalizations lag behind cases - so should we expect the numbers to continue to increase in the coming weeks?
Hospitals typically see a rise in pediatric admissions this time of year - including flu and RSV. Could we see a rise this year?