Marian Regional Medical Center: Doctors share safety tips as kids return to school during COVID-19

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Doctors at Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria share in the excitement as kids head back to school.

"I am excited. We have a six-year-old that's getting ready to enter the first grade," said chief medical officer Dr. Chuck Merrill of Marian Regional Medical Center.

Like many parents, Merrill prefers in-person learning for kids. "We trust that schools are going to be a lot better job than we did at home! But no seriously, it's going to be an excited time."

But Merrill believes returning to school safely is still important in light of the pandemic.

As kids go back to school, he recommends parents with kids under age 12 to avoid high risk situations.

Merrill said if kids are not feeling well, they should stay home.

He says the main step parents can take to keep their kids safe is getting vaccinated if they haven't already.