Welcoming Students Back to School for 2022-23

I would like to take this time to welcome all of our Wayne County students back to the classroom for the 2022-23 school year.I also want to wish all of you the very best as you continue to learn and grow. I'm sure you have heard more than one adult say that young people are our future.If it weren't true, we would not continually repeat it.We are counting on you because we believe in you.

Who we become as a nation will depend on what each of you chooses to do with your lives. It's quite the responsibility, but it's one that each generation before you has managed to shoulder so I'm confident you will rise to the occasion too.

I don't have to tell you how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed almost everything about how we live our lives for more than two years now.Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that the impact of COVID will be over anytime soon. I'm asking each of you to take all necessary precautions to stay healthy at school, at home and wherever else you may go.Your efforts will help to keep your friends, familyand teachers healthy as well.

Here is some useful information on keeping students safe provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):

With most schools now back to in-person learning, efforts must be made to ensure:

• All school-aged children stay on track with well-child check-ups, recommended vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines.

• Well-child checkups are essential to track your child's growth and development, address any health concerns and get caught up on recommended vaccinations

• Routine Vaccines help protect your child's health now and in the future from serious diseases like measles, whooping cough, polio, and more.

Facts about COVID-19 vaccines

• Every child 6 months and older should get vaccinated against COVID as soon as possible to protect against severe illness and hospitalization; a booster dose is recommended for all children 5 and older

• More than 28 million children in the United States have received this safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine

• Children who have already had COVID-19 should still get vaccinated for the best protection.

• COVID-19vaccines and other vaccines can safely be given at the same visit.

Though children are more likely to have mild illness, some can get very sick, even children who were healthy before contracting the virus. There is no way to tell in advance if a child will get a severe or mild case.

Vaccinating children is the single best way to protect them from post-COVID conditions is and severe illness, like multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associatedwithCOVID-19.HealthdepartmentshavereportedthousandsofcasesofMIS-C since the beginning of the pandemic. Vaccination reduces the likelihood of MIS-C in children ages 12–18 years by 91%.

For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine for children, click here. For more information on COVID-19 vaccine sites in Out-Wayne County, visit here.