MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Every day more and more people are being called back to work, and parents are having to decide what to do about childcare.
"This is a question that comes up multiple times in the office now as things are opening back up. What can I allow my teenage daughter to do? Can I take my three-year-old to daycare? Can I take my first grader back to camps?" Dr. Jennifer Berger, a pediatrician at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, says.
Dr. Berger says many parents want a blanket answer on what's best for their child. Unfortunately, she says the answer isn't so easy.
"I think it's really difficult. I think everyone's life situation is different. We have to go back to work. If your only option is daycare, your only option is camp, I think that all of those facilities are doing their best to reduce risk. So you just have to know that you're taking that risk, even if it's small," she says.
Dr. Berger says each situation is different. For example, she says if you have an elderly parent at home, the risk goes up and parents should do less outside of the home.
For parents concerned about daycare or camp risks, she says the best option may be to go the babysitter route for the summer.
"What I have been telling parents and what I think is important is for everyone - to think of their own situation differently. So, risks are different for everybody. So it's kind of a level of risk stratification that you're comfortable with," Dr. Berger says.
As she explains, there's less interaction with one individual versus multiple in a group setting like camps. However, that risk goes up if the babysitter interacts with multiple people outside of work.
If parents opt for a summer camp or daycare, Dr. Berger says guidelines are in place to minimize risk. It's important to ensure they're being followed.
"A lot of places are screening, and I think that's important too - checking temperatures and trying to limit unnecessary exposure if you can," she says. "Again, the risk is not zero for anyone but if we follow the guidelines then we can reduce the risk as much as possible."
RELATED: Experts warn online risks have heightened since COVID-19, but there are ways to protect yourself