Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) recently downplayed concerns about the possibility of children becoming infected with the coronavirus.
During a radio interview on “The Marc Cox Morning Show,” Parson noted the importance of children getting back to school as he insisted they would simply “get over” the virus.
“These kids have got to get back to school, they’re at the lowest risk possible,” Parson said on Friday during his discussion on the St. Louis radio show.
He added, “And if they do get COVID-19, which they will — and they will when they go to school — they’re not going to the hospitals…They are going to go home and they’re gonna to get over it.”
See Parson’s remarks below
Shortly after Parson made the remarks, he was met with opposition from Nicole Galloway, presumptive Democratic nominee for governor in Missouri.
Galloway took to Twitter with the excerpt from Parson’s interview and criticized him for his remarks describing his opinion as “stunning ignorance.”
This is stunning ignorance from @GovParsonMO on how COVID-19 affects children. He admitted that he's okay with your kids (and your families) getting the deadly disease when he sends them back to school. Does he not realize multiple American kids have died after being infected? pic.twitter.com/UZtjt043Fs
— Nicole Galloway (@nicolergalloway) July 17, 2020
Despite Parson’s remarks, community concerns about schools reopening go far beyond just students becoming infected with the virus.
Although children who tested positive for coronavirus are predominantly considered asymptomatic carriers of the virus, statistics show that the asymptomatic do have the ability to spread the virus just as much as those with symptoms, according to UC Davis Health.
Because of this, there are concerns focused on the potential danger of teachers, bus drivers, and other faculty who may become infected and subsequently take the virus home to members of their own families.
New statistics also show changes to the lungs of children who have tested positive for coronavirus despite having symptoms, as previously reported on IJR. Despite showing no outward symptoms of the virus, the children evaluated appeared to have suffered lung damage.
Over the last several weeks, the United States has seen significant increases in coronavirus cases in various states. With more than 3.9 million known cases, nationwide, states are still working to not only mitigate the virus but to also prevent it from spreading any further.
