Although your child is one of the millions of children who are starting school in person during the new coronavirus pandemic, you may be rotating between moments of euphoria and pure panic.
It is normal and you are expected to have concerns, but you can take comfort in knowing that children are less likely than adults to experience serious complications from COVID-19, although they may be able to pass it on to others. Here's how to assess whether it is safe to send them back to class and what precautions to take.
6 tips to maintain social distancing in children
Make sure it's really safe
One of the reasons that school districts in various parts of the country have seen outbreaks is because they returned to school when COVID-19 rates were still high in their area.
The lowest risk of transmission in schools is when there have been fewer than 5 in 100,000 cases in the past 14 days, as well as a positive test rate of less than 3 percent. If it's higher than that, it doesn't mean you shouldn't bring your kids, but it's probably worth talking to your pediatrician about whether the benefits outweigh the risk.
The school should require that everyone wear face masks (both students and staff), as well as social distancing as much as possible (although spacing everyone within two meters of each other is preferred, keeping everyone within one meter is fine).
The school district must also have a contact tracing plan in place with the city health department, in the event someone at the school tests positive. That way, they can quickly discover who has been very close to the infected person, generally defined as someone who has been within two meters of the person for at least 15 minutes starting two days before becoming ill, and quarantine them.
Take your child to school with the right materials
No need to overdo it with hand wipes and disinfectant sprays: a simple cloth mask (plus an extra for your backpack if you are using is lost or dirty) and hand sanitizer should be sufficient.
We now know that the main way the virus that causes COVID-19 spreads is through aerosols; we are much less concerned with infection of surfaces.
As for the mask, look for one that has double layers. When researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center compared about 400 cloth masks to surgical masks and N95, they found that the best performing masks were made from two layers of heavy cotton, filtering out about 78 percent of all particulate matter compared to about 65 percent with surgical masks.
The best way to know if your mask meets the grade is to take what is known as the "light" test. Subject the fabric to bright light or the sun; if you can see the light going through the fibers it's not that good of a filter.
Make sure your child also knows how to use a mask correctly. That is, children should not make mistakes like letting it slip down their nose or sharing it with a friend.
Hand sanitizer is key too, but make sure it contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
Tell children when and how to use hand sanitizer
Make sure children understand that every time they touch a commonly grasped surface, such as doorknobs or stair railings, they should quickly disinfect their hands by washing them or using a hand sanitizer.
Explain to children how to sanitize their hands: apply enough sanitizer to cover the entire surface, then rub until dry.
Don't talk to them about this in a terrifying way; Explain that they are doing their part against COVID-19, so they can feel part of the solution. You don't want them to be so scared that it prevents them from enjoying school.
Encourage the habit of hand washing
As soon as your children step inside the house after being at school (or anywhere else), they should go to the bathroom and wash their hands well.
Make sure they apply soap to their hands, including the backs, between their fingers, and under their nails for at least 20 seconds, about the time it takes to sing the song "Happy Birthday" twice.
After that, they don't really need to do anything else other than wash their cloth mask in the washing machine or sink. It is not necessary to disinfect everything that was brought home. There is really no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted through items such as shoes, clothing, books, and backpacks.
Instead, a better use of your time is to do a quick symptom check.
If they come home and complain that their throat is itchy, or if they have a headache or complain that the food tastes funny, you'll want to watch them closely to see if it goes away after a couple of hours or if it persists. All of these can be symptoms of COVID-19.
Err on the side of caution
If your child shows any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, even if it's just a mild cough or runny nose, leave them at home and call their pediatrician.
Many kids will have a runny nose and sore throat this fall, and most of the time, it won't be COVID-19. But the only way to know for sure is to get tested. It is inconvenient for parents and may mean that your child will be absent from school more than he or she would like, but it could save lives.
At some point, you may get the dreaded call that one of your child's classmates has tested positive for COVID-19 and you will need to self-quarantine for two weeks. Although you should take it seriously, you shouldn't panic: If everyone in the class wore a mask and kept it on, there is a lower risk of exposure.
If your child is quarantined at home due to a classmate diagnosed with COVID-19, that does not affect siblings, who can continue to attend school. To be safe, it is a good idea for the quarantined child to use a separate bathroom from the rest of their family and wear a mask as much as possible around other family members.
Be smart when socializing
Just because school has started doesn't mean your child can start over with sleepovers. It's okay to see friends outside of school, but try to go on play dates outside and keep everyone within six feet of each other (and if you can't easily do that, have the kids wear face masks).
It is also a good idea to be very careful if you plan to see your grandparents. You don't have to turn down a visit entirely, but try to stay outdoors, and masks and social distancing are a must.
We are going to live with COVID-19 for months, if not at least a year. That doesn't mean that kids can't somehow go back to school and even possibly play certain sports, but we all have to be smart about our choices.
