Jsimms, this pandemic and social isolation/distancing is going to be much harder on some than on others. Even I anticipated getting through it easily because I like being at home, but it's been harder than I thought. It is absolutely unfortunate when it comes to those who are most vulnerable in society. Those children, though, hopefully have parents who took the pandemic seriously enough to keep their children alive and healthy. What good would it be if they are compromised by the virus for the rest of their lives, as it seems some could be (permanent lung damage - or heart damage for young children).
In BC, even in the fall, our schools will remain changed. There will be classes, but they will be smaller classes. Students have an opt-out option for in-class, and they will be expected to attend online. The ones who do attend in class will only be part time in class and the rest will be monitored at home. I do not think any of our special needs students will be returning, and social programming will also not be taking place (the parenting program I facilitate will not be happening), but my team is still working with families at risk involved with child protection.
There is a huge cost, both socially and economically. But just think of what might have happened had we not distanced. Can you imagine how many people would have been sick, some more than once, and how many more people would have died? And the children it seems now have a different reaction to Covid-19 in that it affects their heart more than their lungs.... it would have been so much worse! And in the US it seems bad enough.