Survey: More Kids Headed Back to School, But Many to Avoid the Bus
Across the country, families are preparing for the school year ahead, but the contagious coronavirus delta variant has many thinking about how their child will get to school and back.
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A recent Cars.com survey of 1,050 parents of school-aged children found that two-thirds will return to full-time in-person instruction, compared to 39% for 2020. But fewer parents will send their children to school on the bus. Only 38% said their child would take the school bus, compared to 44% before the pandemic. The survey, conducted July 28, found 63% of respondents reporting children ages 8 and younger in school.
And due to the coronavirus, more parents are planning to drive their children to school compared to pre-COVID times: Some 54% report that they will get behind the wheel to take their kids to school, compared to 52% before the pandemic. Families also plan to carpool more than they did before the pandemic — 9% during COVID compared to 8% in pre-COVID times.
For those who are carpooling or taking the bus, 78% of parents plan to have their children use hand sanitizer — compared to 68% in 2020 — and 69% will have children wear masks, a decrease from 2020’s 79%.
Overall, 59% of parents surveyed said their children age 12 or up are vaccinated against COVID-19. Broken down by age, 56% of kids 12 to 14 and 64% of those 15 to 18 are vaccinated. And 59% of parents with children ages 5 to 11 say they plan to vaccinate their children when it becomes available.
Whether you have an older student who’s vaccinated or a younger child who isn’t, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its guidance for COVID-19 prevention in schools. With in-person school the priority for 2021, the CDC recommends universal masking for all students ages 2 and up, as well as teachers, staff and school visitors. And on school buses, passengers and drivers must wear a mask regardless of vaccination status.
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Those school bus guidelines can be applied to carpooling, too. All occupants should be masked, and the car windows should be open if possible to circulate fresh air throughout the vehicle. Be sure to keep hand sanitizer and extra masks on hand. And help kids keep their masks on by making the car a snack- and drink-free zone.
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