Best practices for preventing the Flu in schools and daycares
Every year, as the season begins to change, the leaves start to fall, and the wind intensifies with a colder breeze; a peculiar flu period in America starts from October through to mid-May. Every parent, medical practitioner, administrators and caregivers start to think about the cold (winter) weather that is to come and all the sicknesses that are peculiar to it and also all the further advances to maintain cleanliness of the place. Flu is mostly contacted during this period of the year, with young children affected the most with this problem. That’s why it is essential for instructors to have good practices that help prevent this flu from affecting people within that environment. It can be quite challenging when you know that hand washing and sanitation can’t stop all the sickness. As far as your young ones are in school or daycares, they face the risk of contacting any of the many of bacteria and virus out there. Every parent is aware that when kids are in group settings typical of a school or daycare, the pathogens get spread at a fast speed. Teachers also know that an unhealthy child is a sad child, with that in mind, here are some best practices, both trending and conventional that can help in preventing the contact of flu in schools and daycare environment.
Improve the hygienic measures
Improving the hygiene of the child and his environment can be the best place to start. Medical professionals suggest that frequent washing of the hands like over ten times throughout the day can help the child stay away from carrying or contacting any form of disease-causing germs. The school teachers are encouraged to wash their hands especially after playing closely with an infant, upon arrival at the place, before and after meals, before and after changing diapers, before and after using the toilet, after nose blowing, and after playing all these can help slow the spread of germs hands down. Additionally, soaps and any alcohol-based sanitizers should be made available; this act of hygiene not only prevents the flu from attacking but also prevents the infection of other diseases. You can either put a portable hand cleanser in your child backpack or give her one to keep in her locker in school or keep one in the care just in case they don’t remember to use it at home. A suitable surfactant can be used to clean the classroom, playroom, and toilets regularly; this will help lower the number of germs in the area.
Common sense still supersedes all protections. Upon the current availability of vaccines for prevention, it remains nearly a point of defense to practice some common sense rules over bacteria and virus protection. These are easy ways you can impact the knowledge of your children and personal practice that can reduce the spreads of germs. Avoid direct touching of your eyes, ears, and nose— if you must do remember to wash your hands thoroughly. Having close meetings with people who are sick should also be avoided to stop any form of cross infection.
Get them immunized as soon as possible
Though new and trending practices, it is essential for caregivers and school instructors to get the vaccines especially if they care for infants who are highly susceptible to the disease. Plus, they should ensure that children above the age of one get immunized against the flu virus, especially with the current vaccines, this can help them stay away from hospital visits during the period. Getting vaccination will protect you from contacting the flu virus, and also protect your family, and people around you, and the children you take care of. It was made clear to the public some years ago that the common flu virus had mutated into a deadly H1N1 virus, at proportions that are pandemic, this is why getting them immunized with the current vaccines is very important in preventing the spread of the disease.
Mini clinic centers school be available at schools and daycares
When a child or adult begins to experience some flu-symptoms at the school or daycare, they can quickly move to the clinic center for checkups. High fever, coughing, sneezing, over fatigue, headache, muscle ache, sore throat and runny nose are some of the symptoms of influenza. Furthermore, antiviral drugs should be made available at these centers. And if any person within the area is diagnosed with flu, the person should be prescribed the required medication to take as soon as possible. Thus, they should also be isolated from other groups, in most cases; they are carried home and asked to stay back until they recover from the disease. If it is confirmed that you do not have flu, but you intend to keep flu away, then antiviral drugs can be used to prevent this. They prevent up to 70-80%.
Sneezing and coughing into the crook of your arm can help
This new rule is getting popular among schools and daycares in some states across America. They are advised to sneeze and cough into the crook of the arm where the tendencies of spreading germs through handshakes, doorknobs, light bulbs and toys are reduced to the barest minimum, mostly if the arm is addressed with a long sleeves shirt, arguably germs perish quickly in the fabric. Make sure the children in your care are taught these things regularly.
A healthy diet goes a long way
What you eat defines how fit and healthy your body will become. Remember that the body’s immune is your first line of defense against germs and illnesses, so do well to improve it with a healthy diet.
Finally, upon all these precautions, flu still happens. Even if you strictly follow all the precautions to protect yourself or that of your pupils, even upon immunizations, the possibility of contacting flu is still very high. With that up your sleeves, to stay prepared and alert this coming period, we take your mind back to the symptoms of common flu. If any of these as explained above is notice, please do well to visit a doctor immediately, you will be glad you did.