Experts are cautioning parents to not intentionally expose their children to COVID-19.

Why are experts having to caution parents against intentionally exposing their children to COVID-19? Because there's talk going around about people intentionally exposing their children to the virus.

THERE'S A HISTORY

The idea may have come from when parents used to allow all of their children to be exposed to the one child in the house who had come down with chickenpox. The thought was this: let them all get it at once, and then they will be done with it.

To be honest, I am not certain that my parents didn't practice that same thing way back when was young. From what I understand, it is much safer for a child to develop chickenpox as a youngster, as the disease takes a greater toll on adults. We don't have to worry about that too much nowadays, as we have (had) a vaccine (for many years. You did get your kids vaccinated against chickenpox, right?) to prevent chickenpox.

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LOGICAL?

I understand the logic behind the thought of allowing all of your children (or everyone in the household, for that matter) to be exposed at once to get it over with, but here's the difference: you can catch COVID-19 again. And again. And again. And with the different strains developing, there is still much about the virus about which we don't know. It's new, and it could be deadly. If not this time, maybe next time.

NOPE: NOT LOGICAL

One man took to social media to encourage people to not hold a "Covid party", and he gave a great explanation as to why it is a bad idea.

While comparing COVID-19 to chickenpox, Malmgren pointed out the very low annual death rate from chickenpox compared to the high daily death rate of coronavirus. He also pointed out the fact that not only are hospitals strained right now, but hospital staff is also stretched very thin.

Ochsner LSU Health Feist-Weiller Cancer Center
Ochsner LSU Health Feist-Weiller Cancer Center
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To intentionally expose your kids, or even yourself, to ANY virus at this point in time is very foolish and selfish, according to many who have chimed in on the subject.

Another social media user, Kazz Walding, posted a great article that shares a list of why you should NOT intentionally expose ANYONE to the coronavirus.

I'M NOT A DOCTOR (AND NEITHER ARE YOU, PROBABLY)

The list comes from Mercury News and, in short, can be summed up in 3 simple bullet points.

  • COVID-19 can kill you
  • For God's sake, YOU ARE INFECTING CHILDREN
  • You don't know what you are doing

We don't know what we are doing. We (unless you are) are NOT trained in this. We (unless you are trained in this) can only go with what the experts (who are trained in this) tell us, horse de-wormer be damned.

Of course, Mercury News goes into more detail and I am just paraphrasing, but INTENTIONALLY EXPOSING YOUR CHILDREN TO A VIRUS IS A BAD IDEA, especially during a pandemic.

WE WANT WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR KIDS

I know parents want what is best for their children and that parents are responsible for making health care decisions for their children. I am not here to deny you your right of taking care of your children in the manner you think is best. My hope is this: that you take the advice of people who have specialized training in the field of communicable diseases when making these health care decisions for your child(ren).

I hope you and your family stay safe and healthy.

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