COVID-19 led to closure of nearly all schools in the United States, affecting more than 55 million students. Efforts to continue children's education have been highly variable, ranging from remote learning, hybrid and modified in-person instructions. Return to school safely for children and staff is being implemented, again variably. Along with the safety concerns, there are significant concerns about the disruption to the learning process, mental health, nutrition and even safety.

I'm in conversation with Dr Anita Gupta, DO, PharmD examining the challenges, risks and considerations in ensuring safe return to school of children nationwide.

Takeaways in This Episode

• Why it is important to weigh the risks, benefits and challenges to safe return to school.
• Factors integral to ensuring safety of children, school staff and the community
• Who needs to be involved in the planning to ensure a safe and expeditious
• The CDC's policy to guide opening schools safely.
• What mitigation measures should be required
• What parents can do to support their children's physical and mental health.
• How parents can ensure a good learning experience for their children.
• Collective responsibilities to educate and ensure safety
• Who are the children at even higher risk even beyond the learning challenges.

Links

Dr. Anita Gupta DO, PharmD

JAMA article on Data & Policy to Guide Safe Opening of Schools

FREE Clinicians' Pain Evaluation Toolkit

About the Guest Speaker

Dr. Anita Gupta DO, PharmD

Dr. Anita Gupta is a globally recognized leader, Hopkins anesthesiologist, pharmacist & policy expert.

She's the first appointed woman physician anesthesiologist to pioneer the expansion of the only opioid overdose antidote, naloxone, at the U.S. FDA. Also, the first woman physician anesthesiologist to Co-Chair the American Society of Anesthesiologist Committee on Prescription Opioid Abuse. First woman anesthesiologist-pharmacist alumnae of both Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs and Harvard University School of Business.

She is committed to addressing global public health, drug safety and policy. She's been appointed as an advisor to the U.S Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Dr. Gupta has been featured on the cover of Philly Biz magazine as Top in Healthcare, international editor of three books by Oxford University Press.

Featured as a recognized healthcare thought leader for the Washington Post, Forbes, CNN, on emerging threats including the Coronavirus crisis, the Opioid crisis, Zika crisis, catastrophic train crashes, and high profile expert medical cases involving: Tiger Woods, Bill Cosby, Jolie, Prince, Lady Gaga, Beyonce and others.

She completed her pain fellowship from Johns Hopkins University, medical residency in anesthesiology at Georgetown University School of Medicine, and clinical physician scientist training during her medical residency at National Institutes of Health, NHLBI, doctorate in pharmacy at Rutgers University, medical school from Rowan University (formerly University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey) and professional education from MIT in drug technology, masters in public policy and certificate in health policy from Princeton University and general management from Harvard Business School.