Guidance for Parents

Prevention

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. 
  • Teach children to appropriately cover coughs and sneezes. 
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. 
  • Clean frequently touched surfaces. 
  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.  
  • If your child is sick, keep them at home and contact your healthcare provider.   

Social distancing

  • Discourage children and teens from gathering in other public places while school is dismissed to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the community.   
  • Limit close contact with others as much as possible (about 6 feet). 

Cleaning 

  • Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily in household common areas. 
  • Clean dirty surfaces with soap and water OR bottled ready-to-use cleaner first. Products that clean well include dish soap, Formula 409, OxiClean, and Windex. 
  • After cleaning, disinfect surfaces to kill the virus and allow to dry completely. For hard surfaces, use bottled disinfectants like Clorox Cleaner with Bleach, Lysol, or mix your own (1/3 c regular bleach to 1 gal water). For porous surfaces, use a disinfectant appropriate for material (see label). When doing laundry, wash according to label using warmest setting possible and allow to dry completely in a clothes dryer.     

Planning, looking ahead 

  • Create a household plan of action 
  • Be prepared if your child’s school or childcare facility is temporarily dismissed.   
  • Talk with your employer about sick leave and telework options in case you need to stay home with your child. 
  • Consider planning for alternate childcare arrangements.   
  • Make sure you have access to several weeks of medications and supplies in case you need to stay home.  

What to do if you have a confirmed case 

  • Call your child’s doctor if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness. 
  • Stay home from school and away from other public places.   
  • Choose a separate room and bathroom in your home that can be used to separate sick household members from those who are healthy.   
  • If your child/children become sick with COVID-19, notify their childcare facility or school.   
  • Take care of the emotional health of your household members.Outbreaks can be stressful for adults and children. Talk about them, try to stay calm and reassure them they are safe.   

For more information