While restrictions are slowly being lifted across the United States, the risk for contracting COVID-19 are still very real. It's in the news everyday, all day. The world is still under threat from the virus and continuing with the safety guidelines set out by experts are vital to preventing a significant increase in new infections.
Children are vulnerable to COVID-19, although they may not be as much at risk of the virus causing serious complications and death as it may with elderly or immunocompromised persons.
With that said, children may not show signs of infection and can definitely spread it to more vulnerable family members. Depending on the age of the child, they may need some direction in preventing their own infection and the importance of social distancing and handwashing. A study done in China and Published in the pediatrics journal shows that all kids are vulnerable to COVID-19, with a majority from over 2000 children showing mild symptoms and some, especially those with established and a trained immune system showing no symptoms at all. Again, more data shows that some kids with underlying conditions are more vulnerable. For instance, those with respiratory infections are more prone to COVID-19 and will show more severe symptoms than those without underlying health conditions.
While the risks of severity remain lower, and some don't get very sick, kids can easily pass the virus to vulnerable adults, immunocompromised persons, or anyone else they come in contact with.
Here are tips on how to keep children and the entire family safe.
Prevention is a brilliant move to protect against the COVID-19. Here are some of the things you need to observe for kids and family safety.
• Cleaning hands often with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Make it a fun task by having them sing the chorus to their favorite song to remind them of how long they should be washing their hands. Remind them that all parts of their hands and fingers should be cleaned.
• Avoiding contact with other kids and maintaining social distance.
• Separate your child from older adults and people with a high risk of complications from COVID-19. Use social media and video applications to visit with family members not living in the same house. There is no need to avoid all contact, just maintain physical distance.
• Kids above two years need to wear masks when outside to cover their nose and mouth. Babies and very young children should stay home when at all possible. The less interaction they have with the public, the better. Teach them to appropriately sneeze and cough into their elbow and to avoid touching their face.