New Delhi: As the novel coronavirus – COVID-19, continues to take its toll globally, parents are worried about their children’s safety more than ever. The traces of chaos and misinformation are ubiquitous, which is further deteriorating the situation, making parents and even children feel anxious and overwhelmed. Many of you must be looking for the safety norms to keep your little ones protected without getting them in a panic.
What is the right line action as a parent? Well, the best way to fight this contagious disease is to prevent it by following precautionary measures. Acknowledging its severity and implementing measures of prevention are effective ways to reduce the risk of this viral infection.
Meenal Arora, Founder Director, Shemford Group of Futuristic Schools shares seven vital tips to keep your child and yourself safe and protected from the ill-effects of coronavirus:
Speak to your child: Awareness is the best weapon against the outbreak of this disease. Communicate age-appropriate information and ways of prevention to your child. Assure your children that you are there to protect them and there is nothing to be anxious or frightened about if they follow the norms of prevention meticulously.
Encourage basic hygiene: Maintaining good hygiene is critical. Tell your children to wash their hands with soap and water frequently for atleast 20 seconds. Tell them not to touch their nose, mouth and eyes with unclean hands. Encourage children to repeat the same practice whenever they come home comes, before eating, after using the restroom and just after a cough or sneeze. Doorknobs, desktops and other frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected regularly.
Always keep a hand sanitizer in her bag for the occasions when soap and water are not available. Make sure you look for alcohol-based sanitizers with 60 percent or higher concentration of alcohol.
Keep social distance: Tell your child to stay atleast 1 metre or 3 feet away from the person who is sneezing or coughing. Instruct your little one to keep a safe distance from such people and cover the mouth with a handkerchief or tissue whenever such cases arise to prevent herself from getting infected. It is best if you can avoid crowded places completely.
Maintain respiratory precautions: Safety is a two-way process. Your responsibility doesn’t end with keeping yourself child safe. You should also prevent yourself from infecting others. And for that, it is crucial that you maintain respiratory precautions. Always cover your mouth with a flexed elbow or tissue while coughing or sneezing and dispose of that tissue immediately. Teach her the same as it can prevent everyone from viruses like flu, cold and corona.
Boost their immune system: Another effective way to fight coronavirus is to strengthen your little one’s immunity. Regular physical activity, exercise, balanced diet and enough sleep are proven to improve the immune function drastically. Daily intake of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant can be an effective remedy to boost the immune system.
Carry out food safety measures: Safe food preparation is essential to counter many foodborne diseases like diarrhea, food poisoning, vomiting, etc. and now especially coronavirus. Always keep your chopping boards and knives used for raw meat away from the ones used for cooked foods to avoid cross-contamination. Cook meat and eggs thoroughly and maintain good hygiene in your kitchen area.
Be mindful: Ask your child to keep a safe distance from sick people and don’t let them share utensils, food and towels with them. If you also feel mild cold, cough, fever or face breathing trouble avoid close contact with your child, and seek medical advice immediately. Use a mask if you feel the symptoms and stay at home.
Put these simple measures into practice to ensure the safety of your little one and others in your family. Complete awareness and mindful conduct can combat this disease effectively!
