With school districts officially back in their buildings students 12 and younger can’t be vaccinated, but health officials are reminding them of the importance to practice COVID-19 precautions. 

Dallas County Health Department Public Information Officer Ann Cochran says as long as the coronavirus pandemic continues to circulate there isn’t any way to keep the virus out of the schools. 

“Children who are under age 12 are too young to be vaccinated so everyone age 12 and over can reduce the chance of young children getting the virus by getting vaccinated themself ,that will reduce the number of cases in our communities and therefore in our schools.”

Cochran tells Raccoon Valley Radio that for those children who are too young to be vaccinated they can still wear a mask if their families are more comfortable with that. Cochran adds families can remind their children to practice COVID-19 precautions, which worked last year. 

“Recalling this past winter when the cases of flu were unusually low. Many people attributed that to number one, the wearing a face mask but secondly, how many people very much changed how they kept their hands clean. There were sanitizers everywhere, people washed their hands much more often and were very careful about putting hand to face.”

Cochran says these are things families should continue teaching their children at home and emphasize doing the same at school and also Cochran says parents need to lead by example.