1. Explain accurate facts about the virus to children:
- Coronavirus is contagious.
- Affects older people.
- We can do things to help keep it from spreading.
- It is important to avoid gatherings.
- It will pass.
2. Discuss who the virus affects:
- Experts tell us that anyone can get it, however it seems to be a serious threat mainly to people 50 and older or anyone who already has heart and long issues.
- There are no apparent cases of infant or child death due to Coronavirus.
- Most people have mild or no symptoms at all.
- At this time children are considered safe from any serious affects of the virus.
3. Discuss germs and why we wash our hands so much:
- Germs are tiny bugs that we can't see. They carry the Coronavirus.
- We spread these bugs when we cough and sneeze.
- We have to make sure we wash our hands with soap and water for 20 seconds as often as we can so that we do not spread these germs.
4. Explain that even though they are safe they can still spread it to others who aren't safe:
- It can make some people very sick.
- We wash our hands to protect other too.
5. We also eat healthy, drink lots of water, exercise, and sleep well so that we can keep our bodies healthy enough so that germs don't make us sick.
Using simple language is key. Answer any questions that they may have honestly but delicately avoiding negative terms if possible.
The first step in avoiding contamination and the spread of viral infections like the Coronavirus is avoiding highly populated areas. This includes the more obvious places like airplanes, airports, and buses; and some less obvious places such as grocery stores and churches. If at all possible protect your kids from these places. The Coronavirus has now been labeled a pandemic and it is important that we avoid situations in which we and our children can be contaminated.
Therefore, try to avoid these places:
-Waiting Rooms
-Airports
-Airplanes
-Grocery Stores
-Churches
-Schools
-Work (if possible)
-Parks
-Concerts
-Daycares
-Public Gyms
-Restaurants
-Movie Theaters
In general, think about places where people go, touch things, sweat, eat, and could potentially cough, sneeze, blow their noses. Think about all the things you touch that someone else may have touched. Avoid these places, or at least avoid taking your children to these places.
This chapter may seem obvious but you would be surprised how many people do not wash their hands when they cough or sneeze.
Please practice these habits and teach them to your kids:
- Wash your hands many, many times a day.
- Use hand sanitizer when you do not have access to soap and water.
- Wash your hands.
- Avoid public bathrooms if you can.
- Cover your mouth with your sleeve when you sneeze or cough, then wash your hands anyway.
- Carry wipes with you and clean anything before touching it, sitting in it, or bringing it into your home.
- Wash your hands.
- Avoid sick people.
- Avoid kissing others, shaking hands, and touching outside people.
- Wash your hands.
- Take a shower when you come home.
- Disinfect your car regularly.
- Do not wear outside shoes in your house.
- Wash hands after touching mail and other packages.
- Don't touch your face or anyone else's.
- Do not put your purse, diaper bag, or travel bags on your chairs, couch, or bed. These things get placed on the floor in public places.
- Stay away from other people's children!
- For the love of God, wash your hands!
As of now the most accessible disinfectants for eliminating a virus are hand sanitizer, alcohol, and bleach. Alcohol and hand sanitizer needs to be at least 60% alcohol to be effective in killing the virus. Bleach is also an effective cleaner. Here are some disinfecting tips to make sure your house is virus-free.
- Wash your sink, toilets, and shower with bleach.
- Disinfect your phone, keys, wallet, and purse with alcohol wipes regularly.
- Disinfect remote controls with a mixture of bleach and water.
- Disinfect doorknobs with a mixture of bleach and water.
- Disinfect children's toys with soap and water.
- Wash your clothes in hot water.