Reading list
Shortform reading
This is an incomplete list of the shortform reading (and listening and watching) I’ve been doing lately.
Many working parents with young children say finding backup care would be very difficult
Nearly two years since the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States, the emergence of the highly transmissible omicron variant late last year upended things yet again, leaving many parents of young children scrambling to figure out care.
The Delta Variant Is Sending More Children to the Hospital. Are They Sicker, Too?
Children have been particularly affected by the COVID-19 Delta variant, and doctors are questioning whether the variant could be particularly dangerous in younger people. Scientists have said there is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about whether the Delta variant causes more severe illness in children than other variants. In the UK, where there was a surge in Delta variant cases before the one in the US, there was no clear evidence that children were at particular risk for serious illness from this variant.The Awkward Playdate Negotiations When Your Kids Aren't Vaccinated Yet
Although more and more adults are becoming fully vaccinated each day, there is still no vaccine available for children under 12. While they are less susceptible to serious illness from COVID-19, they are still at risk for the illness. Some parents are beginning to relax the precautions they were taking with their children, allowing large unmasked group get-togethers, whereas others are continuing to be more cautious. Parents are having to navigate discussing COVID safety with parents who are more ambivalent, and also figure out how to balance safety with potentially introducing difficulties into their childrens' friendships. One parent said of their willingness to relax a previously-enforced precaution: "You don't want to be the first parent and you don't want to be last."