Twins Jake and Ella Benson, 8, get COVID shots this week from nurse Vickie Webb at their middle school in Akron, Ohio. Photo: Karen Schiely/Akron Beacon Journal via Reuters
Parents of small children started 2021 with the hope of giving their kids a more normal life — and are ending it with 2020 déjà vu.
Why it matters: Parents have faced incredible stress over the past 18 months while keeping themselves and their kids safe and sane.
Driving the news: A wave of K-12 schools is going virtual, citing rising cases among students and staff.
- A Pfizer vaccine trial for kids under 5 failed to generate the desired immune response, the companies said Friday.
- Kids 15 and under aren't eligible for boosters.
Between the lines: Viral TikToks alluding to potential violence in schools today horrified parents and sparked law-enforcement alerts.
- Some parents kept their children home. Some districts canceled classes or limited where students could go inside school buildings. Many increased security, per AP.
TikTok said: "[W]e are deeply concerned that the proliferation of local media reports on an alleged trend that has not been found on the platform could end up inspiring real world harm."