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School in New York (picture from June)
Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
Going to kindergarten or school with a corona disease: numerous parents in the USA did not leave their children at home despite signs of illness or positive tests.
A survey suggests so.
More than a quarter of the 580 respondents admitted to providing false information or intentionally ignoring safeguards.
The most common behaviors were not telling someone who was with their child that they thought or knew their child had COVID-19 and allowing their children to break quarantine rules.
According to the study, there are many reasons for this:
About 60 percent of parents and guardians admitted to misleading others about their child's immunization status so that unvaccinated people could participate in an activity that required vaccination.
Around 50 percent said they deceived others about their child's coronavirus infection or failure to follow preventive measures in order to do what they thought was best for their family.
More than 40 percent of parents have concealed a corona infection because they did not want their children to miss school.
About 35 percent of caregivers did not report their child had COVID-19, in part because they could not afford to stop work to care for their daughter or son.
Another motive for lying: Some mothers and fathers made their children older than they were so that they could be vaccinated.
The nationwide study was published in the specialist magazine »Jama Network Open«.
About 70 percent of the participants were women, which is why the study does not reflect the demographic composition of the USA.
The researchers also suspect that some participants may have lied.
"Lying about lies is certainly a possibility," said Angela Fagerlin, lead author of the study, in a press release.
"26 percent is probably the minimum number of parents who have misreported their children's COVID-19 status during the pandemic."
The results are worrying, Fagerlin said.
Parents' reluctance may have helped the virus spread.
One consequence: More people had to be treated in hospital or died as a result of the disease.
The current study follows previous findings by the same research team.
According to the study, four out of 10 American adults deceived others about having COVID-19 or not following public measures to contain the spread.
The team stressed that it was difficult to compare the results of the two studies because the follow-up study asked parents more specific questions than before.
It is unclear to what extent the results can be transferred to other countries such as Germany.
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