3 teachers from JP school system asked to not report to work after traveling to coronavirus risk areas Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Hide Transcript Show Transcript

OVER THE CORONAVIRUS. A NINTH DEATH REPORTED IN THE U.S., ALL OF THOSE DEADLY CASES IN WASHINGTON STATE. WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON PUBLIC HEALTH, THE STOCK MARKET AND POLITICS. BUT WHAT ABOUT FOR OUR KIDS? DR. KRISTIN MOFFITT IS AN EXPERT ON GERMS, AND TALKING WITH KIDS ABOUT GERMS, AT BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL. CLASS ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK. ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT IT AT SCHOOL? >> THEY ARE. IN TERMS OF WHAT KIDS HAVE ALREADY HEARD, I THINK IT IS AGE-DEPENDENT. THEY ARE HEARING A LOT AT SCHOOL OR THEIR FRIENDS ARE TALKING ABOUT IT, SO THEY ARE DEFINITELY HEARING ABOUT IT. >> WHEN THEY WERE ASKING QUESTIONS, WHAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE THING ON THEIR MIND? >> FOR KIDS, IN TERMS OF VIRAL TRANSMISSION HAS TO DO WITH INFLUENZA. A LOT OF QUESTIONS RELATE TO HOW THIS RELATES TO THE FLU. >> MY KIDS ARE A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER AND THEY HAVE NOT SAID ANYTHING ABOUT IT. DOES NOT MEAN THEY HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT IT. >> IF THEY ARE YOUNGER, MAYBE THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY HEARING ABOUT IT SO MUCH AT SCHOOL. IT MAY HAVE CROSSED THEIR RADAR, SO EVEN STARTING A CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT IF THEY HAVE HEARD ANYTHING. >> HOW DO YOU HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITHOUT SPARKING ANXIETY? >> I THINK THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK STARTING AS A PARENT WITH CHECKING HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR OWN LEVEL OF A 90 ABOUT WHAT IS OUT THERE ON THE NEWS AND GETTING YOURSELF AS INFORMED AS POSSIBLE AND THEN BEYOND THAT, STARTING THE CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF WHAT HAVE THEY HEARD AND HAVE A HEARD THAT IS -- ANYTHING THAT IS SCARY TO THEM AND BEING ABLE TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS TO WHATEVER EXTENT YOU CAN AND IF THEY HAVE ASKED THE QUESTION FOR SOMETHING YOU DON’

SIGN UP FOR BREAKING NEWS Get local stories sent straight to your inbox as news breaks. Submit Privacy Notice