MANSFIELD, Texas — The worrisome delta COVID variant has prompted school districts in Fort Worth Dallas and Austin to require masks in some schools, but other schools aren’t mandated just yet.
Meanwhile, Tarrant County remains in the red zone for the spread of COVID-19, with many still unvaccinated.
For the Kenney family in Mansfield, they’re divided on what to do: get vaccinated or not?
"I don’t think I need to, because I’m healthy,” said Ethan Jones, who is 16 years old.
Ethan will be starting 11th grade next week at Mansfield High School, where there is no mask mandate.
“I’ll keep my mask on, and not get close to people,” Ethan said. That's because his dad has a heart condition and is high risk.
“If I get it, and I don’t know about it, I don’t unwillingly want to give it to someone that is high risk,” he explained.
His mom, Renee Kenney, on the other hand is playing it safe.
“I made the decision to get vaccinated, because we have a granddaughter,” she said.
It’s the next part that leaves you with a house divided.
“I caught COVID-19 back in February,” explained Chris Kenney.
But Chris said he will still wait to get vaccinated.
“I feel like I have natural immunity. More importantly, my cardiologist recommends I don’t get it yet,” Chris said.
While Chris is waiting it out, many parents are hoping children will be allowed to get vaccinated, as hospitalization numbers among the youngest are up.
Over at Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth, there are at least 20-30 children hospitalized daily. That number is expected to go up once school starts. Doctors have been going around, and even taking part in events where they’re educating parents on what to do when their child goes back to school.
But the number of positive cases are rising as high as they were in the winter time.
Hearing that makes Renee think twice about giving her son an option about getting vaccinated.
“He may lose his choice at some point," Renee said. "I trust that he’s doing the right thing."