Page 4 - Healthy Kids Now - Spring/Summer 2022

Help your child play it safe dFuring the pandemic
rom swing sets to splash pads, • Hand sanitizer. Pack a travel-size summer is the season for fun in the bottle that’s at least 60 percent
Off to summer camp
Before your child leaves for summer camp, sit down and have a conversa- tion about COVID-19. If other kids or staff won’t be fully vaccinated, stress the need to keep up the good habits you’ve practiced as a family, including: • social distancing
• handwashing • mask wearing
Pack extra masks — some are bound to get wet, dirty, or lost. And don’t forget to label all your child’s personal belongings. Explain that sharing electronic devices, toys, books, and sports gear with other campers could lead to sharing germs, too.
Visit cdc.gov/coronavirus for the latest coronavirus information and safety tips.Your family can’t take
a summer break from COVID-19 precautions. But you can make summer fun as low-risk as possible!
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
sun! Getting outside and being active are great for your child. Just remember that COVID-19 hasn’t gone away, so don’t play around with your family’s safety. Staying vigilant helps protect those who haven’t been vaccinated yet.
At the playground
Playgrounds are built for running, climbing, swinging, and sliding — but not social distancing. Finding it tricky to keep at least 6 feet away from other people? Try to visit at less busy times and look for less crowded areas. No need to wear a mask if you’re there alone, with house- hold members, or around fully vaccinated friends. But just in case others show up, keep masks handy for all unvaccinated adults and children ages 2 and older.
Tell your child ahead of time that the playground might get too crowded to stay and play.
Playgrounds are filled with surfaces that are constantly grabbed by little hands. Fight germs with:
alcohol and have your child use it before and after playing on the equipment. Help those younger than age 6 use hand sanitizer properly. (See page 5 for more hand sanitizer tips.)
• Disinfectant wipes. No one expects you to disinfect a whole playground. But if your child loves the swing, for example, you can wipe it down before they use it.
Also, leave personal toys at home. Sharing items is not a good idea during a pandemic.
At the public pool
Most of the same playground precau- tions apply to public pools and water parks. One exception is wearing masks: Take the masks off before going in
the water. Store masks in a splash- free zone. Mask up on dry land if you aren’t fully vaccinated and can’t keep 6 feet away from others.
4