Summary of "Kids and COVID" Perplexity AI
"Kids and COVID" is a new book that examines the profound and lasting effects of pandemic-era school closures and COVID-19 policies on children in the United States. Written by journalist David Zweig, the book provides a detailed, critical account of the decision-making processes that led to the closure of American schools, contrasting these choices with the approaches taken by other countries where schools remained open without significant issues 1 3.
Key Themes and Findings:
- Consequences of School Closures: The book documents how prolonged school closures led to significant academic, social, and emotional harm for millions of children. Test scores have continued to decline, and the achievement gap between socioeconomic groups has widened. Many children faced mental health challenges and long-term setbacks 1 3.
- Policy Failures and Accountability: Zweig argues that the closures were a foreseeable and avoidable policy failure. He holds both political leaders and the media accountable for promoting and sustaining lockdowns, often ignoring emerging evidence that schools could safely reopen. The book criticizes the uncritical acceptance of "an abundance of caution" as a justification for extended closures, even as data showed the harms far outweighed the benefits for children 1 3.
- Media and Political Dynamics: The narrative explores how political polarization and media narratives influenced public perception and policy. Zweig suggests that resistance to reopening was, in part, a reaction against positions associated with then-President Trump, and that teachers' unions played a significant role in delaying reopenings despite international evidence supporting safe in-person learning 1.
- Personal Stories: The book includes personal accounts from parents, students, and teachers, illustrating the real-life impact of remote learning and isolation. For example, one mother describes how the lockdowns compounded her daughter's difficulties during a family crisis, while a teacher notes the clear differences in behavior and academic performance between students who attended in-person versus remote classes 1.
- Call for Reflection and Change: Zweig emphasizes the importance of documenting these mistakes to prevent similar decisions in future crises. He contends that there is now a "collective recognition" that the treatment of children during the pandemic was unnecessarily harsh and damaging, even among some who initially supported the closures 1 3.
Overall Tone and Purpose:
The book is described as meticulously researched and deeply personal, blending investigative journalism with the author's own experiences as a parent. While it does not seek to assign blame to individuals, it delivers a forceful critique of institutional failures and urges greater caution and transparency in future public health decision-making 3.
Conclusion:
"Kids and COVID" serves as both a record of what went wrong during the pandemic and a warning against repeating the same mistakes. It calls for acknowledgment of the harm done to children and a commitment to prioritizing their well-being in future policy decisions 1 3.
Citations:
- https://nypost.com/2025/04/17/us-news/kids-education-suffered-in-lockdown-new-book-holds-media-pols-accountable/
- https://www.unicef.org/jordan/press-releases/childrens-story-book-released-help-children-and-young-people-cope-covid-19
- https://www.educationnext.org/the-junk-science-of-pandemic-school-closure-an-abundance-of-caution-david-zweig-book-review/
- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kids-and-covid-19-larry-s-glover/1138825974
- https://www.roche.com/about/philanthropy/covid-19-childrens-book
- https://www.pittwire.pitt.edu/pittwire/features-articles/children-s-book-helps-explain-covid-19
- https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/158112.Best_Children_s_Books_about_the_Pandemic
- https://guides.lib.virginia.edu/c.php?g=1164312&p=8718341
- https://news.emory.edu/stories/2020/05/er_covid_19_book_winners/campus.html
- https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/multisystem-inflammatory-syndrome-children-mis-c
Sampling of kids and COVID studies in VitaminDWiki
- Children and COVID - many studies
- 13 possible reasons why COVID-19 is less severe in children – Dec 1, 2020
- 6X increase in excess deaths of children since vaccinations were started - Oct 2022
- COVID children helped by Vitamin D, trial terminated: unethical to not give Vitamin D to all: – RCT July 2022
- Problems after childhood vaccinations - many studies
Children and COVID Vaccinations - report by Perplexity AI May 2025
- Many countries, including India, China, Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and most of the EU, recommend COVID-19 vaccination for children but do not mandate it