SAFETY TIPS - CORONAVIRUS
Viruses
are germs that can make people and
animals sick. Viruses cause colds, chickenpox, flu, hand, foot, and mouth disease,
and many other diseases. Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can infect
the respiratory tract and cause symptoms like a runny nose, cough, sore throat,
and fever. Seven
coronaviruses can infect humans, including the viruses that cause Middle East
respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Other
coronaviruses can infect animals like cats, dogs, monkeys, and rodents.
At
the end of 2019, a new type of coronavirus called COVID-19 began to
make people sick in China. It causes fever, cough,
and trouble breathing. It can be more serious in some people, especially if
they were already sick.
Doctors
believe that coronaviruses spread from person to person through the air by
sneezing or coughing, or by close contact, such as shaking hands. Coronavirus
infections are most common in the fall and winter. Treatment
for most coronavirus infections involves easing symptoms until the infection
runs its course. More serious infections may need treatment in a hospital or
other care facility.
SYMPTOMS
OF COVID-19
Symptoms
of COVID-19 can range from mild to severe and can include:
·
Fever
·
Cough
·
Shortness of breath
WHO
IS AT RISK
According
to the CDC, children do not
seem to be at higher risk for getting COVID-19. However, some people are,
including
·
Older adults
·
People who have serious chronic
medical conditions like:
o Heart
disease
o Diabetes
o Lung
disease
o Suppressed
immune systems
THE SIGNS &
SYMPTOMS OF CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
COVID-19 causes a fever, cough, and trouble breathing. Symptoms are a bit like those people have with
a cold or the flu. The virus can be more serious in some people and may lead to
illnesses like pneumonia.
CORONAVIRUS
(COVID-19) SPREAD
Experts are still investigating how COVID-19
spreads. In general, coronaviruses spread through droplets sent into the air
when people cough or sneeze. The virus can spread in communities from one
person to another, and through contact with surfaces that have germs on them.
THE CORONAVIRUS
(COVID-19) DANGEROUS TO CHILDREN
Experts are still learning about COVID-19, so we
don't have a lot of information about it yet. There are far fewer cases of the
virus reported in children. Most of them caught the infection from someone they
lived with or a family member. The virus seems to cause a milder infection in
children than in adults or older people.
Call your doctor if your child or someone in your family has a fever, cough, or other flu-like
symptoms. Tell the doctor if they have been near someone with COVID-19 or lived
in or traveled to an area where lots of people have the coronavirus.
Make sure your children have all their vaccinations. Protecting kids against illnesses like measles and the flu helps keep them out of the doctor's office or hospital where
they could be around other germs, including the coronavirus. Plus, kids who
have another infection may have a harder time getting better if they do get the
coronavirus. It's not too late to get a flu shot!
CORONAVIRUS
(COVID-19) TREATED
Most people with COVID-19, including children, do
not have serious problems. They usually get better with rest and fluids. But it
is important to keep kids with COVID-19 away from others who may have a harder
time with the virus.
People who are very ill get care in a hospital with breathing
help, IV fluids, and other treatments.
THE RISK OF MY
CHILD BECOMING SICK WITH COVID-19
Based on
available evidence, children do not appear to be at higher risk for COVID-19
than adults. While some children and infants have been sick with COVID-19,
adults make up most of the known cases to date. You can learn more about who is
most at risk for health problems if they have COVID-19 infection on CDC’s
current Risk Assessment page.
I PROTECT MY CHILD
FROM COVID-19 INFECTION
You can encourage
your child to help stop the spread of COVID-19 by teaching them to do the same
things everyone should do to stay healthy.
·
Clean hands often
using soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
·
Avoid people who
are sick (coughing and sneezing)
·
Clean and disinfect
high-touch surfaces daily in household common areas (e.g. tables, hard-backed
chairs, doorknobs, light switches, remotes, handles, desks, toilets, sinks)
·
Launder items
including washable plush toys as appropriate in accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest
appropriate water setting for the items and dry items completely. Dirty laundry
from an ill person can be washed with other people’s items.
THE SYMPTOMS OF
COVID-19 DIFFERENT IN CHILDREN THAN IN ADULTS?
The
symptoms of COVID-19 are similar in children and adults. However, children with
confirmed COVID-19 have generally presented with mild symptoms. Reported
symptoms in children include cold-like symptoms, such as fever, runny nose, and
cough. Vomiting and diarrhea have also been reported. It’s not known yet
whether some children may be at higher risk for severe illness, for example,
children with underlying medical conditions and special healthcare needs. There
is much more to be learned about how the disease impacts children.
CHILDREN WEAR MASKS
A: No. If your
child is healthy, there is no need for them to wear a facemask. Only people who
have symptoms of illness or who are providing care to those who are ill should
wear masks.
PROTECT
YOUR FAMILY
There
is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19, but there are a few things you can
do to keep your family healthy:
· Wash
your hands often with soap and water for at least 20
seconds. If soap and water are not available, use hand
sanitizer. Look for one that is 60% or higher
alcohol-based.
· Reduce close contact with others by
practicing “social
distancing." This means staying home as much as
possible and avoiding public places where close contact with others is likely.
· Keep your kids away from others who
are sick or keep them home if they are ill.
· Teach kids to cough and sneeze into a
tissue (make sure to throw it away after each use!) or to cough and sneeze into
their arm or elbow, not their hands.
· Clean and disinfect your
home as usual using regular household cleaning sprays or wipes.
· Wash stuffed animals or other plush
toys, following manufacturer's instructions in the warmest water possible and
dry them completely.
·
Avoid touching your face; teach your
children to do the same.
·
Avoid travel to highly infected areas.
·
Follow local and state guidance on
travel restrictions.
· Separate family
members with COVID-19 from others as much as possible. The
person with the virus should stay in a specific room and away from other people
in your home. Ideally, they should use a separate bathroom, if available. Limit
visitors in the house.
·
Avoid contact with
pets. This includes petting, snuggling, being
kissed or licked, and sharing food.
· Call ahead before
visiting the doctor. This will help them take
steps to keep other people from getting infected or exposed.
· Wear a facemask. The
CDC only recommends facemasks for people who have symptoms of COVID-19, not for
people who are healthy. Healthcare workers and anyone taking care of someone
with COVID-19 should wear facemasks.
· Avoid sharing
personal household items. Don't share dishes,
drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people
or pets in the home. After using these items, they should be washed thoroughly
with soap and water.
· Extra cleaning for
all “high-touch" surfaces. These include
counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards,
tablets, and bedside tables. Also, clean any surfaces that may have blood,
stool, or body fluids on them. Use a household cleaning spray or wipes and
follow the instructions on the label.
· Monitor symptoms. Call
your doctor right away if the illness gets worse.
If your child has
been exposed to COVID-19, or you are concerned about your child's symptoms,
call your pediatrician immediately.
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