MADISON, Wis.– It’s easy to confuse COVID-19 symptoms with allergies, but doctors say parents shouldn’t risk it and send their kids to school anyway.
“The only way to reduce the transmission in schools is to keep the sick kids away,” Pediatrician at SSM Health Tom Murwin said.
Murwin’s order that may sound great for kids, but frustrating for parents, who he knows often will send their child to class with a runny nose assuming it’s just allergies.
“Keep them home to play it safe until you know what the symptoms,” Murwin said.
Murwin said allergies, a runny nose or itchy eyes, don’t progress into systemic symptoms like COVID-19 can.
“You don’t get body aches. You may get a headache if you’re congested, but you don’t get a lot of stomachache, nausea, vomiting. You don’t get a cough. You don’t get difficulty breathing in your lungs. It’s all just because you’re congested in your nose,” Murwin said.
That’s why he said testing is the fastest, most foolproof way to make sure your kids aren’t sick with COVID-19.
“The only way to be absolutely certain is to get a test done,” COVID testing deputy for Public Health Madison and Dane County John Hausbeck said.
Public Health Madison and Dane County is testing toddlers as young as one and up at the Alliant Energy Center for free. Hausbeck said parents should err on the side of caution.
“If they’re seeing their child come up with new symptoms… a test is not a bad idea,” Hausbeck said.
Although missing school to go get tested can be inconvenient, they both agree it is much easier than passing COVID-19 on to other kids.
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