The coronavirus has taken the lives of a great number of people. Since it first broke out early in 2020 and the last quarter of 2019, it has taken the lives of more than 3,300 worldwide. Additionally, 97,000 people struggled with the early signs of the virus.
When announcements came out that hand sanitizers or alcohol, in general, helped against the virus, there was a panic to get as much of these as possible. Even face masks experienced shortages in supply. It was enough to make parents secure face masks for their babies or children, whatever age they may be. It is a completely understandable action since children still aren’t immune to the virus.
If you have children and want to protect them from the coronavirus, there are practical ways to do it. From keeping them away from school to regularly washing their hands and practicing frequent disinfection, here are some useful tips to guard against the coronavirus.
Keeping It Normal for Mental Health
It’s fair enough that some parents don’t want to scare their children into keeping the virus away. That’s why some have taken to trying to look and act normal, despite the general anxiety about the situation. They’re right in doing this, though, since 80% of COVID-19 cases have been revealed to be mild cases. There’s a relatively low risk that even the most basic of protective practices can stem transmission.
It goes without saying that parents are encouraged to live their lives as the ‘new normal’ would allow. If the community has been instructed to keep their protection from an individual with COVID-19, they don’t need to go overboard and ostracize that person—they need to wear their face masks, keep their distance, and practice good personal hygiene.
A Learning Moment for the Children
On personal hygiene, there is an opportunity for children to learn how to wash their hands. For older children, this is a great time to learn how to wash their hands properly. It’s not clearly known—even at this point—how the virus spreads, but health officials agree that good hygiene is essential in keeping it at bay.
Touching your eyes, mouth, or any part of your face with your hands not properly washed or sanitized is taboo right now. That also includes covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze, then thoroughly spraying it with disinfectants like alcohol or personal sanitizers.
Hand Sanitizers Aren’t Enough
Hand sanitizers are effective if you’re trying to find some way to prevent the spread of the virus, but you don’t have access to a bathroom. It’s important to remember that sanitizers are also a temporary solution, and you shouldn’t teach your children to rely on these alone.
For children in school or doing something while on the go, it is recommended to find a place to eat and wash properly. Otherwise, teach your kids to dry their hands properly when they’re outside and using hand sanitizers. These require drying off properly to be considered effective.
Work with the Community to Keep Everyone Safe
Agencies like the CDC and UNICEF are working to keep you and your children safe from the virus. Aside from supplies to prevent transmission and promote proper hygiene, they might also conduct an education drive about how COVID-19 is spreading.
If this is happening in your neighborhood, you should cooperate with the authorities and make sure to get all the info you can. You should also do your part through volunteering, perhaps, or informing your neighbors about the services they can get from these government agencies and information drives.
Keeping everyone else informed will also help you be informed about what you need to do if there is an infected person in the hood.
Buying Supplies in Bulk
During the coronavirus pandemic, the fewer trips you have to do outside, the better. There’s also the uncertainty that you won’t bring back the virus when you get home.
If that’s the case, then you should practice buying the supplies that’ll last you at least a month. This will help you avoid having to take frequent trips to the market. It’s also a good way of avoiding having to bring your bored children along when they shouldn’t even be going out in the first place.
While children have natural immunity, there’s no guarantee that they will fare any better if they’re hit by COVID-19. As always, practice social distancing and stay at home, only going out when you really need to. There will help everyone keep safe as possible during the pandemic.
