Summer Safety During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Nemours Blog

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Summer Safety During the COVID-19 Pandemic

3 min read
Guest Contributor
Summer Safety During COVID-19 Pandemic

Kids are kids: they’re going to fall, crash, and slip and get lots of bumps and bruises. With an outbreak like we’ve experienced in 2020, there are even more risks to the health and safety of your children, especially during an unusual summer holiday.

There are actions we can all take to ensure that children have fun this summer while avoiding serious injuries and illnesses. A compilation of resources is below to keep your kids safe this summer and all year long.

Safety in Your Home

We typically think of our homes as safe space for our children to play, spend time with the family, and relax; however, your home contains multiple objects that can cause injuries to your kids and lead to anything from falls to suffocation.

Here are steps that you can take to prevent accidents in your home:

Water Safety

Every day in the US, about ten people die from unintentional drowning. Of these, two are children age 14 or younger. Drowning is the leading cause injury death for those 1 to 4 years. Water safety comes down to this: Kids should always be supervised around water, no matter what their swimming skill levels. Below are several resources to help keep your kids safe in the water this summer.

Safety Out and About

When your children venture outdoors, the risk for accidents increases. Here are several ways to help protect them outside your home.

Preventing and Treating COVID-19

While some children and infants have been sick with COVID-19 and suffered complications from the virus, very few have been hospitalized, and adults still make up most of the known cases to date.

The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar in children and adults; however, children with confirmed COVID-19 have generally shown mild symptoms that look like the flu, such as fever, shortness of breath and cough. Abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and headache have also been reported.

If your child shows the common symptoms of COVID-19, call your health care provider immediately.

Very rarely, children who have contracted COVID-19 have gotten multisystem inflammatory syndrome. Learn the signs of MIS-C.

Below are tips to prevent COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

More Ways to Keep Kids Happy and Healthy

Continue the conversation with your children about the new normal, so they can stay happy and healthy throughout the summer and beyond.

Help your child stay active while being out of school during the summer.

  • Encourage physical activity by getting your kids to go outside and play — it’s great for physical and mental health.
  • Use indoor activity breaks (stretching and dancing are fun!) throughout the day to help your child stay healthy and focused.

Make sure your kids keep eating healthy as they adjust to life during an outbreak.

Guest Contributor
Topics: Coronavirus Staying Safe
Guest Contributor

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