COVID 19

As the situation evolves we will do our best to keep updated, however with things changing hourly we are asking all our families to utilize the CDC website which has accurate and timely updates and to be flexible and understanding.

The following information is up to date as of today but may change:

Human Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that usually cause illnesses like the common cold. Almost everyone gets one of these viruses at some point in their lives. The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is believed to be “newly” discovered and possibly transmitted initially by an animal source. As the virus spreads, we are seeing some people with mild illness, some who get very sick, and some elderly patients who have died. The reason health officials are concerned is because the virus is new, which makes it hard to predict how it will continue to affect people as the seasons change.

How to protect your family:
There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19 (although this is in the works), but there are a few things you can do to keep your family healthy:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer. Look for one that is 60% or higher alcohol-based.

Keep your kids away from others who are sick or keep them home if they are ill (meaning it is best to avoid playdates for the timebeing).

Teach kids to cough and sneeze into a tissue (make sure to throw it away after each use!) or to cough and sneeze into their arm or elbow, not their hands.

Clean and disinfect your home as usual using regular household cleaning sprays or wipes.

Avoid touching your face; teach your children to do the same.

Avoid unnecessary travel to highly infected areas.

Talking to children about COVID-19:
There’s a lot of news coverage about the outbreak of COVID-19 and it can be overwhelming and frightening to kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents and others who work closely with children to filter information and talk about it in a way that their child can understand.

These tips can help:

Simple reassurance. Remind children that researchers and doctors are learning as much as they can, as quickly as they can, about the virus and are taking steps to keep everyone safe.

Give them control. It’s also a great time to remind your children of what they can do to help – washing their hands often, coughing into a tissue or their sleeves, and getting enough sleep.

Watch for signs of anxiety. Children may not have the words to express their worry, but you may see signs of it. They may get cranky, be more clingy, have trouble sleeping, or seem distracted. Keep the reassurance going and try to stick to your normal routines.

Monitor their media.Keep young children away from frightening images they may see on TV, social media, computers, etc.?For older children, talk together about what they are hearing on the news and correct any misinformation or rumors you may hear.

The information provided above was compiled from the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics

If you are looking for more information regarding the Coronavirus, you can contact the Upstate hotline at (315) 464-3979 and the state hotline (1-888-364-3065) as well as the Onondaga County website https://covid19.ongov.net/.