COVID cases increase as kids return to school

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Kids are back in the classroom and doctors say it’s causing more COVID cases in our area.

They say this is the first uptick in months.

In total at Memorial Health, there are 14 people in the hospital with COVID 19. Four of them are children. Pediatricians in doctors’ offices say they are seeing several cases of COVID a day.

These machines testing for COVID are busier than they were a few weeks ago as COVID makes its way around town.

Dr. Ben Spitalnick at Pediatric Associates of Savannah says he’s not too worried because symptoms haven’t typically been severe.

“Most illnesses are self-limited for one to two days. No fever, mild cough congestion, you can handle that at home. High fever, respiratory distress, labored breathing, decreased appetite, these are all signs to come see a doctor,” Dr. Ben Spitalnick said.

Dr. Spitalnick says his biggest tip to parents is even if you don’t think it’s COVID, but your child is getting sick, still get them tested. And if they are positive, follow CDC recommendations on isolation.

“Kids don’t want to miss their first classes, they don’t want to miss tryouts for sports teams, they don’t want to miss school and unfortunately the guidelines are still, if you’re positive, five days of isolation and then after those five days you should wear a mask around people five days after that.”

His office does give vaccines and you can get vaccinated at your local health department. I also talked to doctors at two major hospital systems in our area.

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