OTTAWA -- Warmer weather is on the way, and Ottawa teens might be tempted to ignore the calls for physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But CHEO insists it’s still important for teens to limit their social connections to help stop the spread of the virus.
Eighteen-year-old Olivia Wall is concerned about the pandemic.
“Teens and young adults mostly, I find aren’t taking this whole pandemic, and this whole situation seriously.”
She sees teens and adolescents ignoring physical distancing guidelines,
“I’ll see people hanging out, like in large groups in cars. They’ll have friends in the cars, they’ll be over at each others houses, boyfriends and girlfriends will be with each other at each others’ houses because they miss each other - but they’re putting everyone at risk that they hang out with.”
And Wall says those actions are putting those who are close to her at risk.
“Ever since I’ve been self-isolating with my family, because three out of the four of us are highly asthmatic - so if I don’t take it seriously, and I hangout with someone, then I bring that home and my whole family is at risk.”
Doctor Jason Brophy is a Pediatric Infections Disease Physician at CHEO,
“They should be respecting these physical distancing recommendations, to keep their family members healthy.”
Brophy says that although adolescents generally have milder symptoms, they can still act as a carrier, putting loved ones at risk.
“It is more of a risk that they will bring it home and infect their family members, including older family members or ones who have chronic conditions that are risk factors for COVID.”
Doctor Megan Harrison is with Adolescent Medicine at CHEO, and explains that simply telling a teen the rules isn’t effective.
“Explaining that they’re playing a really important role in protecting vulnerable people in our community and a lot of adolescents will listen to that.”
Dr. Harrison adds that it’s natural to want to be social during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s developmentally normal for them to want to be with their friends, to want to get out. They thrive on social connections and on relationships.”
As parents talk to their kids about COVID-19 and the importance of physical distancing, Dr. Harrison recommends trying to be understanding.
“One of the most important things we can do is support them and empathize that this is really hard, and stress that this isn’t going to last forever.”
