Back To School In COVID-19. 7 Ways To Keep Your Kids Safe
NSW students returned to school recently. Meanwhile across the border, Melbourne schools continued to stay shut because of a deadly second wave with record numbers of new COVID-19 cases and deaths.
Our government is on extra high alert for a COVID-19 resurgence in NSW. NSW reported 21 cases on Friday 31st July. The state government is monitoring the coronavirus cases closely. The situation is far too volatile to make predictions. The best thing parents can do to keep their children safe is to stay up to date with COVID-19 news in our city and to follow our government’s advice closely.
Here are 7 things, parents can do to keep their children safe:
1. Talk to your children about COVID-19
Don’t be afraid to discuss coronavirus with your children. Most children will have heard about the virus and parents and carers can take this opportunity to talk to them about the current situation.
Here are some useful tips:
Adapt your communication to suit your child’s age
Remain calm and positive when talking to your child
Be honest
Check on your child regularly to find out how they are coping
Encourage them to express their feelings
Discuss social distancing, mask-wearing, hygiene, and other preventive measures they can take to protect themselves if you are not with them
Have regular conversations about online security with older kids
It is okay if you do not have all the answers
2. NSW Education Department updates
All schools in NSW are taking extra precautions to keep students, teachers, and parents safe.
The best source of information for parents about COVID-19 is the NSW Education Department’s website.
Some important information parents can access include:
NSW School Update app – the app allows parents and carers to receive the operational status of NSW public schools. If there is an outbreak and the school is closed for cleaning, the app will inform you immediately. Download the app here
Online teaching and learning resources for students, parents, and carers
Student wellbeing advice
3. Avoid ‘At Risk’ Locations
NSW Government is providing comprehensive daily updates on identified hotspots.
Parents can find information via media and government websites. The Sydney Morning Herald runs a daily breakdown of COVID-19 areas. The breakdown includes the suburb, the affected location as well as the day and time that the person visited the facility or venue. People who have been to these venues on the day and times listed are required to get a COVID-19 test immediately.
Here’s an example of Friday 31st July COVID-19 breakdown
Our advice is to use this information to keep your family safe by not visiting these areas for a while.
4. Wear a mask when you are out
NSW Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant, has urged the community to wear a mask when they are outside and cannot social distance safely. The federal government’s Infection Control Expert Group Chair, Professor Lyn Gilbert supports this move particularly in areas of Sydney where community transmission is occurring.
The recommended masks to wear are single-use surgical (or medical) masks and any form of cloth covering (for example a washable cloth mask, a scarf, a bandana, or a buff). If you are wearing a cloth covering, it must have at least three layers of protection to keep you and others safe.
In Victoria, where mask-wearing is now mandatory, children above 12 years of age must cover up when they are out in public. Please ensure the mask fits properly in your child’s face. If you are worried, you can supervise them when they have a mask on. Children under 12, babies and toddlers must not wear a mask because masks can suffocate them.
Parents need to know that wearing a mask is not a foolproof protection against the virus. Mask-wearing is one of several behavioural changes everyone must take to keep ourselves and our community safe in the pandemic crisis. It is equally important that parents know how to wear a mask properly.
To learn how to wear a mask, please read our article on ‘How to wear a mask’ here.
5. Practise Social Distancing
Social distancing can reduce the spread of infection. The prescribed distance is 1.5 metres or approximately 2 arms-length.
Parents must teach their kids to maintain a safe distance from others when they are out in the park.
While most businesses in Sydney can still operate with strict social distancing guidelines, worried parents may want to minimise family outings to places that can potentially expose family members to a gathering of people. Such activities can include going to a popular park or the waterfront on weekends, visiting a shopping centre or having a meal at a popular café or restaurant. The small sacrifices we make to our lifestyles can keep our family safe.
6. Stay Home
If your child or any member of the family is unwell, please quarantine at home.
Here are some things parents must know:
Get tested if you or any member of your family have symptoms that resemble the virus or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive
While you are waiting for your test, you must continue to quarantine
If you are tested positive, you will need to quarantine for at least 14 days
Find your local COVID-19 testing clinic here.
7. Practise hygiene
The hygiene regime we started with our kids in the first lockdown must continue now. Get the kids to wash their hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds when they have been out and have touched surfaces that others may have come in contact with.
If handwashing is not possible, hand sanitiser gels are equally effective so long as you buy sanitisers with 60% alcohol content.
If you have a toddler at home, there are plenty of online videos that you can use to make handwashing a fun activity.
TopKidz COVID-19 Update
The team at TopKidz would like to assure all parents and carers that we are taking extra precautions to create a COVID-free space so our students can continue their classes. All our classrooms, musical equipment, learning tools and surfaces are regimentally cleaned and sanitised.
We insist students and teachers wash or sanitise their hands after they touch any surfaces. We regularly conduct temperature checks on staff and teachers and with parents’ permission will also check our student’s temperature.
Parents who are concerned about sending their kids to group classes can change to one-to-one teaching or request for classes to be conducted online. Your child will continue to be taught with the same syllabus and by the same tutor when they study online. For further information please contact our team at: contact@topkidz.com.au
Our teachers will be more than happy to answer any of your questions.
