Kids and winter break activities: Northeast Ohio doctors weigh in on the risks

As COVID-19 cases skyrocket in Cuyahoga County and around Northeast Ohio, many are wondering what is and is not safe for their children to do this winter break. Parents and health experts know how important connection is for kids, but say this year, that needs to be weighed up against coronavirus pandemic.
To get the answers you want to know, 3News' Lindsay Buckingham spoke with two Northeast Ohio doctors about what to know this winter break.
How safe is it for our kids to participate in activities?
Dr. Purva Grover, director of Cleveland Clinic's pediatric emergency department:
"If you are being exposed to (the unvaccinated) and you know that there are kids on that team or other parents who might not be vaccinated, it's simply not safe at this point to be around them: mask, no mask. Frankly speaking, at this point, it's just not safe."
Does not wearing a mask heighten the risk at those events?
Dr. Kenneth Remy, Pediatric Critical Care Physician with UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital:
"The fear is that when you get lots of kids together that are unvaccinated or people that are vaccinated, not masked indoors, they're going to be super spreading events."
What can lower the risk at those events if you do go?
Dr. Remy:
"I would tell you the most important thing that we can do at this point for children is, any child above the age of five years old should go through their vaccination ... number one, and number two."
Should vaccinated kids still wear a mask indoors or during the event?
Dr. Grover:
"So if you're indoors with any group, which is not your immediate family, you should always have your mask on."
"CDC guidelines state that indoors masking is appropriate and probably the safest thing to do. So that is what we should urge our public to do."
What about smaller gatherings like playdates or holidays with family members?
Dr. Remy:
"I believe that if children are vaccinated, it is very safe for them to interact with one another and be able to have playdates over this Christmas break, still using those same tenants while indoors of wearing a mask."
How long should kids wear masks indoors, at school, or activities?
Dr. Remy:
"I would say that it's important at this point, as we leave the holidays, in the beginning of January and probably February, to continue to wear masks."
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