Pediatrician recommends in-person learning for school

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/ WMGT)-- One middle Georgia parents says her children are going back to school this fall, but not without hesitation.

Thanks for joining us for 41nbc news at 6:00.

I'm shelby coates.

Tucker sargent will join us shortly.

Our top story tonight at 6: if you are a parent, you may be struggling with the decision to send your child back to school.

41nbc's peyton lewis has some tips... from a local pediatrician that could help.

"we really don't have enough valuable information or just knowledge about the virus."

Hawkinsville mom katrina brown says her children are going back to school this fall but not without hesitation.

"my 17 year old plays sports, and unfortunately if we choose online learning he will not be able to participate in any activities, so that causes confusion between me and him."

Brown says her son plays football and he hopes to receive college scholarships through athletics.

And although students are * required* to wear masks and *receive* temperature checks, brown says she is still *concerned* about her children *contracting* the virus.

"at this point i think everybody is at risk.

I don't think anybody is safe.

Yes i think they are at risk, and my concern is what if one of them contracts it and are asymptomatic and they just spread it."

Pediatrician dr. christy peterson from the medical center navicent health says children and young people "we have seen several or a good number of pediatric cases, i mean obviously they don't get as sick as the older adults but they do get it and they will bring it home."

Peterson says if your family can do *virtual learning* "if you have the ability to educate at home and not even have the risk of viral transmission by being around other people then that's great and you should do it but younger children probably will do fine with the virus and probably won't spread it as much as the older children and school is so vital for them for many c1 3 b13 reasons."

In macon, peyton lewis 41nbc