When should I keep my child home from school? Experts recommend that you ask the following: As more information about the coronavirus pandemic develops, some of the information in this story may have changed since it was last updated. "Older children can be taught to socially distance and wear masks while walking in the hallway, but this could be a more difficult task for younger students who need more bathroom and activity breaks. do not have visitors in your home, including friends and family – except for people providing essential care "You can only space them out enough so far, as classrooms can get pretty small and facilities are often lacking in unused space as it is.". - teachers are there to help you Coronavirus symptoms span a wide range from mild to severe. do not go to work, school or public places – work from home if you can. Joseph Allen, D.Sc., author of Healthy Buildings and a professor of exposure assessment science at Harvard University's School of Public Health, tells Good Housekeeping that holding school activities outside is best, as it may let children cope with mask fatigue — and that some school buildings are better designed to handle respiratory viruses. Gerba says there are highly-trafficked points in all of the spaces where germs are bred, and these areas result in more movement, which is an added layer of risk that school officials will have to address. Read more. Encourage your child to stay within their class "bubble" or "pod" during school breaks. "I suspect that a class size of 12-16 is ideal, but would expect that smaller class sizes are most crucial for younger and mobile kids who like to move around." Can I send my child to school with a runny nose? Coronavirus in schools – what should teachers do? All of the experts in our panel agreed: School and classroom size, population density, local rates of COVID-19 transmission, and transportation modes greatly influences the likelihood of your child getting sick. Meanwhile the Irish Medical Organisation has reported a surge in the number of children attending GPs for assessment for possible Covid-19. Because there are so many dependent risk factors that are different for each family, all experts agree that parents need to harp on the basics. The President of the Irish College of General Practitioners, Mary Favier, has said that if a child has sniffles and sneezes but is "otherwise well" and does not have any symptoms of Covid-19, they can go to school. Covid-19 is affecting my child's mental health, what can I do? RTÉ.ie is the website of Raidió Teilifís Éireann, Ireland's National Public Service Media. The virus that causes Covid-19 survives for longer on hard surfaces like lunchboxes and water bottles so these should be cleaned daily using regular household cleaning products. They may find going to a test centre a strange experience and feel scared when they see people in protective clothing. Already, several schools have had to close or send pupils home due to Covid-19. Key messages in the classroom include Self-isolation means staying indoors and completely avoiding contact with other people. Families should have backup caregiver plans in case a child is exposed to or is diagnosed with COVID-19 at school. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Your child can return to normal activities if they are 48 hours without symptoms and are given a negative test result or receive another diagnosis that is not coronavirus. It's a confusing time for parents who value the importance of education but simultaneously worry about deciding when to keep their children away from the classroom. In Florida, Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran signed an emergency order that mandates that public school districts and charter schools must be open to kindergarten through 12th-grade students on a normal five-day schedule. For some experts and leaders, the loss of traditional face-to-face learning seems too detrimental to a student's progress, and teachers struggle to keep K-12 students engaged virtually. And in rural areas particularly, students may spend a good deal of time per day riding the bus. Do I have to go to work if my children can’t go to school or childcare is not available? A much better idea is: don't go to school if you're sick. - 19 May 2020 You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. 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