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COVID, Flu & Cold Safety Tips for Schools

Guide
Cleaning a school desk - COVID, Flu & Cold Safety Tips for Schools

COVID cases are spiking and cold and flu season is here. Be sure you have the right tools and information you need to keep your staff and students healthy when they return to class. Check out these COVID, flu and cold safety tips for your school to get ready for everyone to return.

Know the Symptoms

If your staff members or students show symptoms, they should stay home from school and get tested as soon as possible. A few symptoms of COVID-19 in kids can include:

  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Extreme fatigue
  • New severe headache
  • Loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Muscle aches and pains

It may be beneficial to put a vaccine requirement in place to ensure all staff and children are protected.

Educate Your Staff & Students

Before the return to school, make sure parents talk to their kids about how to take precautions while in class. Sending out an email to parents on what to go over will ensure everyone is on the same page. Here are a few ideas to include:

  • Wearing a facemask - While not required in most school spaces, wearing a mask can help prevent the spread of COVID as well as the cold or flu. 
  • Washing hands - Properly washing your hands for at least 20 seconds will help you avoid getting sick as well as help others stay safe.
  • Coming to school prepared - To avoid sharing hand sanitizers and tissues, bring travel-sized packs with.
  • Speak up - If a child is feeling sick, it’s important they tell a teacher or staff member. This way they can get proper care.

Prepare the Classrooms

While it may be difficult to spread out as much as the CDC recommends, having a different seating arrangement can help. It’s also important to incorporate air purifiers into the room to keep clean air circulating. Make sure there are disinfecting wipes and more in the rooms or nearby to keep things clean.

You’ll want to provide the proper safety gear for staff and students as well. This means having facemasks and sanitizing equipment on hand when it’s needed.

Sanitize & Clean Regularly

As mentioned above, having sanitizing equipment will help ensure that the chances of COVID-19 spreading are low. Here are just a few things you’ll want to have on hand:

Contact Trace

If an outbreak occurs, you can use contact tracing to find people who may have been exposed. Use strategies such as implementing masks back into the school as well as improving air quality. 

Screening After School Activities

If COVID, cold or flu levels are rising, it might be a good idea to screen students that participate in afterschool activities. This includes clubs and more such as:

  • Dance
  • Close Contact Sports
  • Choir
  • Band

It’s also good practice to screen students and faculty after holiday breaks. While this may change based on new information from the CDC or based on the risk level in the area, it’s important to have a procedure in place for when or if the cases spike.

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