What Can I Do To Protect My Family From Coronavirus?

How to Protect Your Family From the Coronavirus

Currently, there’s no vaccine to prevent COVID-19, but there are things you can do to help keep your family healthy:

• Make sure you and your family wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water aren’t available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Keep your children away from others who are sick or keep them home if they’re ill.
• Teach your children to sneeze and cough into a tissue and throw it away after use. If a tissue isn’t available, teach them to cough or sneeze into their arm or elbow, not their hands.
• Clean and disinfect your home often using standard cleaning supplies.
• Avoid touching your face and teach your children to do the same.
• Avoid travel to infected areas.
• Wear a properly fitted face-covering (mask) in public for protection against coronavirus

COVID-19 Precautions to Take If You’re Not Telecommuting

• Ensure your company has a protocol in place to provide a safe working environment.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• Notify your supervisor and stay home if you have symptoms
• Following CDC guidelines, do not return to work until the criteria to discontinue home isolation are met, in consultation with your healthcare provider.
• Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor and follow CDC recommended precautions.

Learn more about how essential workers can stay safe at work during COVID-19.

How to Talk to Your Children About COVID-19

With all the news coverage and closings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, your children can become anxious and frightened. The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to filter information and talk about it in ways that make it easier for them to understand. These tips can help when it comes to your family and discussing coronavirus:

• Reassure them. Remind your children that doctors and researchers are learning as much as they can about COVID-19 and are taking steps to help keep everyone safe.
• Give them control. Remind your children that all of the steps described above can help keep them safe.
• Watch for signs of anxiety. While they may not be able to verbally express their worry, you may see other signs. They might be cranky, more clingy, have trouble sleeping, or seem distracted. Keep reassuring your child and try to stick to your normal routines.
• Monitor their media. Keep your younger children away from frightening images they may see on TV, social media or on their computers. For your older children, talk together about what they’re seeing and correct any misinformation or rumors they may have heard.

Should I Keep My Kids Home From School, Day Care, Parks, and Playdates?

As the COVID-19 virus continues to spread, there will undoubtedly be more school and daycare closures announced. Until your child’s school or daycare closes, you can still send your child, but make sure to check with the staff about future plans and ask about the precautions they’re taking to keep environments clean.

Overall, it’s not a bad idea to keep them in indoor play areas, but letting them play outdoors should be fine.

Check with your local government agencies for the latest school closures and news.

Should I Leave My Kids At Home When Grocery Shopping?

If possible, order food and other items online for home delivery or curbside pickup to avoid transmission. The other thing to consider is to only visit the grocery store, or other stores selling household essentials, in person when you absolutely need to. This will limit your potential exposure to others and the virus that causes COVID-19.

Should Parents of Newborns Keep Visitors Away?

If you have a newborn at home, continue to follow all of your normal hygiene routines, breastfeed if possible and make sure the baby gets plenty of fresh air and sunlight. Visitors are fine, especially if they’re healthy adults and family. All visitors need to wash their hands before picking up the baby.

Don’t let the fear of exposure prevent you from getting the care you need.

Connect with a Baptist Health provider from the comfort of your own home with Baptist Health Virtual Care video and eVisits.

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Sources:
HealthyChildren.org
Stanford Children’s Health
CDC
WebMD
WHO (World Health Organization)