How can I prevent my child from getting or spreading Covid 19?
How can I prevent my child from getting or spreading Covid 19?
While there’s currently no vaccine to prevent Covid 19, there are things you can do to reduce their chances of getting it and slow the spread of infection.
If your child is old enough, you can teach them to:
- Practice “social distancing.” This means keeping people, even those who are healthy, away from each other. It’s also sometimes called “physical distancing.” This is intended to slow the spread of the virus that causes Covid 19. Keeping your child home is the best way to protect them and others.
- Wear a Mask. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC) also recommends that people, including children 2 years and older, cover their face when they need to go out in public. This is mostly so that if your child is sick, even if they don’t have any symptoms, they’re less likely to spread the infection to other people.
- Wash their hands with soap and water often. This is especially important after being out in public. Make sure to rub the hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, cleaning the wrists, fingernails, and in between the fingers. Then rinse the hands and dry them with a paper towel that can be thrown away. You can teach them how to do this properly and make it fun by singing songs, to make sure they wash long enough, and thoroughly enough.
- Use Hand Sanitizer. While washing with soap and water is best, if your child isn’t near a sink they can use a hand sanitizing gel to clean their hands. The gels with at least 60 percent alcohol work the best. It’s important to keep sanitizer out of young children’s reach, since the alcohol can be harmful if swallowed. If your child is younger than 6 years old, help them when they use sanitizer.
- Avoid touching their face with their hands, especially their mouth, nose, or eyes.
Younger children might need help or reminders to do these things.