Thread by @tylerblack32

Statistics Canada has been asking kids about mental health during the pandemic. Initially, after the first 5 months (with school shutdowns, summer break, lots of restrictions), more kids said they were better than worse, most reported no change.

86% "No change or better"

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As the pandemic has pressed on, school started up again, wave after wave came, and kids continue to tell us when we ask them that things are getting worse for them.

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Our most recent survey (april), things have changed. When asked, kids are far less likely to tell us they are "the same or better" (-22%) and far more likely to tell us they are doing worse with their mental health: (+21%).

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This is why my most direct "mental health" recommendation is:

Stopping kids loved ones and community members from getting very sick and dying, and getting everyone vaccinated is likely the best way to protect their mental health.

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I also am increasingly certain of this: We are going to have significant evidence emerge in 2022 that, in fact, it was not lockdowns or measures correlated with worsening mental health outcomes, but it was, in fact, the spread and impact of the virus.

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If you care about children's mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic: get vaccinated, convince others to be vaccinated. the virus is going to be endemic, zero not possible now (i am in the camp that it was, at one point, possible).

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But vaccination reduces the impact of COVID severely, and people getting sick and dying is very bad for kids' mental health, more than anything else we do.

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It is increasingly obvious that NOT DOING ENOUGH to reduce spread and impact of the virus is the problem, not ENDING WHAT WE ARE DOING.

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Vaccination. Ventilation. Outdoor spaces. Sick policies. Closures when necessary. $$ support when closures are necessary. Access to rapid testing. Masking when in crowds/smaller spaces. Keeping symptoms at home.

This protects kids' mental health.
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