Tips for Families & Students

Wear a Mask

If your child's school requires or encourages the use of cloth face masks, consider these tips
 

• Wearing cloth face masks should be a priority especially when it's hard to maintain social distance, such as on the bus, at carpool drop-off or pickup, and when entering the building.
• Have multiple cloth face masks available for your child. Provide your child with a clean

mask and back-up mask each day and a clean, resealable bag for them to store the mask when they can't wear it, such as when eating.
 

• Label your child's mask clearly so it's not confused with another child's.
• Practice properly putting on and taking off cloth face masks with your child while avoiding touching the cloth portions.
• Remind your child that they should clean their hands before and after touching their mask.
• Instruct your child to never share or trade masks with others.
• Talk to your child about the importance of wearing a face mask and model wearing them as a family.
• Discuss with your child why some people may not be able to wear face masks for medical reasons.

Don't place a face mask on a child younger than age 2, a child who has any breathing problems, or a child who has a condition that would prevent him or her from being able to remove the mask without help.

Keep Hands Clean

Clean and Disinfect
 

Practice handwashing at home with your child and explain why it's important to wash his or her hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before and after eating, coughing/sneezing, or adjusting a face mask. When handwashing isn't available, suggest that your child use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Also, explain that he or she should avoid touching his or her eyes, nose, and mouth.

Whether your child is being schooled at home or at school, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces can help reduce the risk of illness. These include items such as doorknobs, faucets, keyboards, tablets, and phones. It’s highly recommended to let the child disinfect his/her

clothes and keep the shoes outside once back from the school. In addition, it is preferable to have cleanable stationery, so it can be cleaned and disinfected easily.

Avoid Public Gathering and Parties

Stay at Home if Sick

You should monitor your child each day for signs of COVID-19. These include
 

You should monitor your child each day for signs of COVID-19. These include
 

• Fever
• Runny nose
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

To limit the spread of COVID-19 as well as other germs, children should stay home from school and other activities if they have any signs of illness or a fever.

Boost Your Child’s Immunity
 

• Maintain a balanced diet: These include fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, legumes and whole grains, which contain important nutrients to strengthen immunity and reduce the chances of catching colds, influenza and other diseases.
• Omega 3: Among the foods that contain omega-3 are oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and fresh tuna, nuts, kale, flaxseeds, and leafy vegetables.
• Exercising regularly: One of the most important ways to raise the child's immune system is to exercise regularly. Leaving children in front of TVs and computers for a long time leads to de-activating the work of hormones inside the body that interact with the

immune system to prevent infection with various diseases that the child may be exposed to.
 

• Exposure to sunlight: Recent studies have shown that there is a relationship between exposure to sunlight and strengthening the immune system. The ultraviolet rays help stimulate the body to produce vitamin D, which helps strengthen immunity, especially in children
• Wash your hands regularly: Hand washing for children helps reduce bacterial and viral infections, which in return raises the child's immunity. WHO recommends washing hands

with warm water and soap for about 20 seconds. This helps remove bacteria and viruses, and reduces the chances of lung infection with viruses by 45%.
 

• Don’t skip vaccination: Whether classes are happening at school or at home, make sure your child is up to date with all recommended vaccines. All school-aged children should get a flu shot each season. Although the flu shot does not protect against COVID-19, it can reduce the risk of the flu and its complications. It's another layer of defense to help prevent missed school days. Please consult with your doctor to know the best and needed vaccine for your child.
• Sleep Well: Studies show that good sleep for a child is important to strengthen immunity. A child between preschool age of three to five years old should get between 10 to 13 hours of good sleep, and children between the ages of 6 and 13 a average of 11 hours of sleep, adolescents between 14 and 17 should get 10 hours a day. This helps to strengthen the immune system and the production cytokines- proteins that contribute to fighting infection and reducing inflammation.
• Avoid antibiotics: The frequent use of antibiotics and painkillers without consulting a doctor helps kill white blood cells, which causes an imbalance in the immune system, and makes it resort to attacking all the beneficial and harmful bacteria that enter the body.
• Reducing the intake of sugars which may cause serious damage that affects the immune system in the body in children.
• Avoid smoking areas: this will expose the child's immunity to danger.

What to do if your child is exposed to COVID-19

If your child is attending in-person school, take steps to be prepared for possible exposure to COVID-19 and the changing scenarios.
 

• Develop a plan to protect family and household members who are at risk of severe illness, such as those with compromised immune systems or chronic conditions.
• Make sure that your emergency contact information and school pickup and drop-off information is up to date at school. If that list includes anyone who is at risk of illness, consider adding an alternate contact.
• Find out how your school will communicate with families when a positive case or exposure to someone with COVID-19 happens and how they plan to maintain student privacy.
• Plan for periods of quarantine or school closures. Schools may close if COVID-19 is spreading more in your community or if multiple children or staff test positive. Your child may also need to stay home if he or she is exposed to a close contact with COVID- 19 patient.