What Are 7 Things That You Can Do To Keep Your Children Safe From COVID?

According to Dr. Leana Wen, pediatrician, and parent of two, there are ways to minimize the risk of your child contracting the coronavirus. And now that there is a new, more contagious delta strain affecting children in more significant numbers - especially as they head back to school - following these suggestions can make a difference.

1. Make sure all adults in the household are vaccinated. While this can be a source of conflict in some families, the stakes are too high not to insist that each family member makes choices that maximize everyone’s safety, especially children too young for the vaccine.

 2. Go outdoors. Being outside is the safest place to be. The virus is rarely transmitted in open outdoor spaces.

3. Mask indoors at all times around other unvaccinated people. Masks should be three-ply, and if your child is willing to wear them, N95 or KN95 masks are best.

4. Increase testing. If your school does not mandate mask-wearing and vaccination, weekly testing should be required for unvaccinated staff and students who are old enough for the vaccine. Like-minded parents should meet with school officials to encourage testing and contact tracing.

5. Form pandemic pods. For activities outside of school, limit your social gatherings to families that follow your precautions, such as no indoor dining at restaurants or interaction with unvaccinated individuals.

 6. Be cautious during informal activities. Keep your precautions in place for after-school and weekend activities.

 7. Remember, risk is additive. Since there is some risk to returning to in-person school (however low), it is crucial to reduce or eliminate risk In all other areas. Masking, social distancing, and avoiding unvaccinated people are critical measures for staying safe.

For more information regarding Dr. Wen’s guidelines, check out this link in The Washington Post: Opinion: The Pandemic Has Become More Dangerous For Children. Here’s How To Keep Them Safe