For Parents
Teach and encourage safety guidelines
When children return to school, they will be taught safety guidelines by their educators. Although educators and school staff will be present to help enforce these guidelines, there may be times when your child is learning from home. Teaching your children the basics can help ensure they understand and follow the rules and stay as protected as possible.
1. Wear a Mask: Teach your children not to take their masks off unless it is necessary. Explain to your kids that wearing masks helps protect them and their fellow pupils and students from becoming ill and spreading the virus. Pack an extra mask for your child in case theirs becomes damaged or lost.
When your child is learning from home, they don’t need to wear their mask at all times. But showing their educator that they are willing to wear their mask on a video call helps reinforce the in-class rules, promotes a positive learning environment, and empowers your child which can reduce anxiety or stress.
2. Explain Social Distancing: Remind your children that they should be staying six feet apart from everyone they see. Since this can be difficult for children to understand and adjust to, remind them that this rule won’t be in place forever but it is important to follow now.
3. Pack Hand Sanitizer: If your child is old enough, send them to school with a bottle of hand sanitizer. Encourage them to wash their hands whenever they have the opportunity. Make sure they wash their hands before leaving for school and upon returning home.
4. Avoid Your Face: Teach your children to avoid touching their faces, especially their eyes.
Clean regularly
When your children get home from school, clean their frequently touched items, such as tablets, laptops, textbooks, folders, and pencil boxes. Wipe them down with disinfectant wipes and let dry.
If you are not home when your child gets home from school, teach them to clean their items themselves or leave them in a designated area outside or near the entrance of the home for you to clean later.
Cleaning Tips for COVID-19
Pay extra attention to your child’s health
Although it’s always best to keep an eye on children’s health, it’s more important now than ever to make sure they are feeling well before they leave the house. The CDC says parents or caregivers are strongly encouraged to monitor their children for signs of infectious illness every day.
1. Check-in on their Health: During this time, your children must stay home if they’re not feeling well. Check-in with them as often as possible and encourage them to communicate how they’re feeling. It may be a good idea to take their temperature daily.
People with COVID-19 can show a wide range of symptoms. Symptoms can include:
• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
Many symptoms of COVID-19 are also present in common illnesses such as the common cold, flu, strep throat, asthma and seasonal allergies.
2. Keep in Touch with their Doctor: Now more than ever, it’s important to take your children to their wellness exams. Schedule their annual wellness exam and keep open communication with their doctor to ensure the health and safety of your child.
While things may look a bit different the next time you visit your primary care provider, Rochester Regional Health is providing the same, high-quality care that we always have thanks to new safety measures like high-level disinfecting, employee and patient screenings, and masking for all.
3. Monitor their Mental Health: With numerous changes and adjustments, your child may be experiencing increased stress and anxiety. Be sure to check in on them and encourage them to communicate their feelings.
For Educators
Teach and enforce safety guidelines
Being an educator is a noble job that requires skill and patience. This year, the role of an educator will become even more important to the health and safety of children. Be sure to regularly remind pupils and students to follow health and safety guidelines to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep pupils, students, educators, and school staff healthy.
1. Basic Health Guidelines: Be sure that pupils and students have their masks on at all times, remain six feet apart, wash their hands regularly or use hand sanitizer, and follow any other school safety guidelines.
There’s no doubt that it’s going to be a challenge to keep kids wearing their masks at all times, but reminding kids that masks are a safe way to stay healthy can help them stay masked up. Host a “mask parade” where kids can show off their mask and explain why they chose it and why it’s important to them. This will help establish a connection between the child and their mask.
2. Increase Airflow: Open the classroom door and windows whenever possible to increase the movement of air in the room, and position a fan so it flows air out of the room.
3. Teach Hygiene: Incorporate hygiene and its importance into your lesson plan. When children are reminded of safety guidelines and understand why they need to be followed, they will be more likely to practice them.
Stay safe always.
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