Winter is also known as the flu season when everyone seems sick. Thus, it’s more important than ever to protect your family from infectious diseases like the flu and COVID-19.
Over the past few years, various guidelines have been changing about protecting yourself from COVID-19. Here’s how to stay healthy from COVID-19 and prevent this virus from passing through your household.
Take Steps to Prevent Sickness
Like every flu season, there are simple steps you can take to prevent yourself from getting sick. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds and show your young children how to do the same correctly.
Please remind your children to cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze to prevent the spread of germs. They can avoid spreading COVID-19, especially when the community level is high. If you are concerned about being in large spaces with many people, wear a mask.
They provide an extra layer of protection if you come into contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19. They can also prevent you from spreading the illness if you unknowingly contract it.
Be Aware of COVID-19 in Your Community
Speaking of the COVID-19 community level, it’s good to know what the disease looks like in your community. The way that the virus spreads and impacts communities vary in different counties. You may want to take extra precautions when your area’s COVID-19 level is high to avoid contracting or further spreading it.
Have Fun Outdoors
You are less likely to get COVID-19 when you are outside. Plan fun outdoor activities to minimize the risk of COVID-19. While this can be difficult as the weather gets colder, there are plenty of fun fall and winter activities.
Check out this list for fun fall activities to try this season! Consider planning activities like going to an apple orchard, a pumpkin patch, sledding, or parks.
You should especially consider outdoor activities for playdates or meetups with other families. This can prevent your family from contracting COVID-19 from others.
Stay Home if You’re Sick
To prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, stay home if you are sick. Do not go to work or take your kids to school when sick. Continuing to go out in public spaces can spread sickness to larger groups of people and increase illness in your community.
In addition to preventing the spread of COVID-19, staying home when sick ensures you can get the rest you need to recover. It’s not healthy to continue daily activities when you’re sick, as it can make you feel worse. It’s best to take the time you need to rest so you can get better.
Getting Vaccinated
Your decision to get vaccinated should come after serious consideration. Many of us are motivated to get vaccinated because of our desire to protect our health and the health of family members or to meet the demands of our employers. Other items to consider:
- Full FDA Approval. Initially, the vaccines were only approved for emergency use. As of today, both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have received full approval from the FDA (respectively, for ages 18 and up, and ages 16 and up).
Recently, Pfizer has added a request for full approval for adolescents aged 12 to 15. and is still awaiting full FDA approval. Information on the approval status for the various vaccines can be found on FDA and CDC websites.
- Transmission Effectiveness. There have been instances where cruise ships with 90%+ vaccinated crews and passengers experienced mass Covid outbreaks. How are vaccines effective in preventing transmission?
- Adverse Events. There’s been a higher-than-usual number of cases of a type of heart inflammation has been reported following the Covid-19 vaccination.
If you decide to get vaccinated and are eligible and medically able to get vaccinated, you should take this step for your health and peace of mind.
Anyone who is six months old or older can get vaccinated against COVID-19. You should ensure your family is up to date with vaccinations and booster shots to protect yourselves against COVID-19. There are free COVID-19 vaccination sites all across the country.
Get information about the vaccines, where you can get vaccinated, and how long you should wait before getting your next vaccine.
Prevent COVID-19
These are just a few ways that you can prevent COVID-19 in your household. If you get sick, follow the CDC guidelines on what to do after a positive test. This usually includes isolating yourself for at least five days if you test positive for COVID-19.
When in doubt, visit the CDC website for more information about COVID-19 and how to prevent it. Here’s what to do when your child falls sick.
