Humanity has been battling with the coronavirus pandemic for a year now. In this time, we've all had to adapt to wearing face mask protection, social distancing, and washing our hands frequently. It can be tough to stay vigilant and adhere to these safety protocols. To help you, we've put together a COVID-19 safety refresher guide!
In case you missed the previous installments of this special series, you can catch up at the links below:
- Chapter 1: Tips for visiting public places, dining at restaurants, and traveling
- Chapter 2: Tips for grocery shopping and exercising at gyms
- Chapter 3: Tips for personal care appointments and going back to school
For this fourth and final chapter, we'll discuss more tips to help you stay safe if you or your loved ones are going back to school. We'll also explore how you can protect yourself during medical and dental appointments. Let's get started.
More Coronavirus Safety Tips for School
Education has been one of the most contentious topics of this pandemic. For the most part, educational facilities have been split between holding in-person classes or opting for remote learning. As vaccines are rolled out, more schools will start re-opening. Here are some tips to help you prepare.
Be Mindful of Your Child's Mental Health
The COVID-19 crisis has been tough for all of us, and kids are no exception. School was already a stressful, anxious event for many students prior to the pandemic, so it's difficult to fathom how they feel now.
If your child is exhibiting school-related anxiety or refusing to go to school, consider teaching them about mindfulness. Whether that means watching the clouds roll by for five minutes or closing your eyes and listening to peaceful ambient music, giving your kids a mental break can do wonders for their stress levels. If they don't want to try these activities, consider practicing what you're preaching — by seeing you do these activities, your kids will be more likely to engage in them as well.
At the very least, don't minimize what your kid is experiencing. The coronavirus pandemic is an unprecedented event. Remove the stigma around it by letting your child know that it's okay to have negative feelings towards it. Encourage them to talk with you about it whenever they want.
Remind Your Students of "The New Normal"
Our current reality is drastically different from how we lived even just a year ago. While your children are probably used to this new way of life at home, going back to school will require some adaptability.
Is your kid returning to in-person classes? Check with their school about the safety guidelines it's implementing. Even if the school doesn't require face masks, your child should still wear this coronavirus protection every day they attend classes. Also, remind them to wash their hands frequently. Give them a portable bottle of hand sanitizer for those moments where they can't do this easily.
Be Sure to Maintain Other Aspects of Your Child's Health
A child's diet is an important staple of their health. Ensure your kid is getting vitamins and minerals that boost their immune system, such as Vitamin C or zinc. When packing lunches for your kid, prioritize fruits and veggies while staying light on the sugar.
Is your kid still learning at home for the foreseeable future? Snacking can often be more of a temptation in this environment. Mitigate these cravings by setting a meal plan and schedule.
Lastly, you should still maintain your child's regular vaccination schedule. While the coronavirus continues to steal the spotlight, other illnesses are still active and present. So make sure your kids, especially your younger ones, are adequately protected from diseases like whooping cough and measles.
Staying Safe on College Campus
College students also face a set of new challenges as they head back to in-person classes. If your kid is about to start living in a dorm again, it's imperative that they follow their school's safety guidelines and restrictions.
COVID-19 basic safety protocols, such as social distancing, wearing face masks, and washing hands frequently, all apply on college campuses. We know that this is far from the ideal vision of college that many students have. But even if they must wear masks while sitting six feet apart, college kids can still enjoy quality time with friends and have fun.
Keeping Dorm Rooms Clean from COVID-19
Clean dorm rooms aren't something typically associated with college students — but we're not living in typical times. Teach your kid to follow the same cleaning procedures in their dorm room that they have been adhering to at home. Basically, this boils down to wiping down commonly touched appliances and objects regularly, limiting the people they allow inside, and washing their hands whenever they return from outside.
Communicating these protocols with roommates is imperative to staying safe. Make sure your student is on the same page with their roommates about maintaining a safe, virus-free environment. This can be a tough topic to broach, but it's a necessary one when living in such close quarters.
Consider Remote Options
It's not unusual for a dozen students to be crammed at a library table for a late-night study session. But these days, that's not the safest approach. Instead, have your kids consider leveraging video chat technology to keep these sessions going virtually.
Lastly, your students should also consider attending classes virtually if their college offers this option. It's still the safest route to go with regards to COVID-19, and it should certainly be done if your child or their roommate isn't feeling well.
Coronavirus Safety Tips for Healthcare Appointments
Whether you have a condition that requires regular appointments or you need an annual check-up, healthcare appointments are still necessary for many of us for a variety of reasons. Telehealth has made leaps and bounds in advancements during the pandemic, so consider this option if you're not comfortable with in-person visits.
If an in-person visit is absolutely necessary, check your medical provider's website or call ahead to see what safety guidelines they have implemented. The usual protections (e.g., face masks, social distancing, frequent hand sanitizing) should always be followed. But your healthcare provider may also have policies around other precautions, such as the number of additional visitors allowed into the facility.
Coronavirus Safety Tips for Dental Appointments
Many people are nervous about visiting dentists these days. When considering the intimate nature of these appointments and the current threat of the coronavirus, that's really no surprise. But, as with your healthcare provider, many dental clinics are taking every precaution possible to give their patients a safe and comfortable experience.
Before your appointment, check with your dentist about the guidelines they've implemented. You can use this information to make a judgment call about whether you want to go through with your appointment or reschedule. Remember: Your dental health is important. It's always better to take care of a problem before it becomes a bigger one.
Stay Safe!
We hope you've enjoyed the final chapter of our special refresher coronavirus safety guide. Check our blog often! We're always covering the latest guidelines for staying safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
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