What about children 12 and under?

THE EDITOR: If children are to be continually marginalised, then I am making a very strong appeal for cinemas, restaurants and now, public swimming pools, to be taken off the list of safe zones.

Why are children under the age of 12 not being allowed to enjoy a movie or some food with their parents or guardians at a restaurant? Also, all children under 12 should be allowed to learn to swim. In fact, it is high time that swimming, visual and performing arts (VAPA), health and family life education (HFLE) and community-outreach-based activities should be part and parcel of all primary and secondary schools’ national curriculum.

Can we not have individual classes for children or family classes at public pools so as to ensure children under 12 are not left out? Children need to be able to exercise too and swimming is an excellent way to build stamina etc.

If we are learning to live with the virus, we have to begin normalising activities that we once enjoyed and stop the inhumane segregation against children.

Children have been suffering the most in this pandemic. They are still unable to fully attend school, they cannot play with their friends or take part in sports and other social activities.

Since last year, they have been segregated when it came to cinemas and restaurants and now public swimming pools. What more are we going to add to the list to increase their mental stress?

Can we think about putting recommendations in place to allow children under 12 to have swimming classes and/or recreational swimming? Can we allow children back in cinemas, public pools and restaurants, please? They should be able to enjoy the activities that they once did.

We need to do better, please; we need to be very creative and flexible. We need to constantly think about innovative ways of decreasing people’s stress and anxiety while encouraging all to live healthy lifestyles while having clean fun.

For once, when it comes to the public health measures, can we put the nation’s children first, please?

JEANIE ALI

Via e-mail

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"What about children 12 and under?"

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