Keeping Your Baby Safe from COVID-19 .

Children; especially the toddler-age ones; have more need for direct contact and are thus very vulnerable so while we are all thinking about homeschooling and activities to engage them with at home, let’s also be reminded of some safety measures. It is recommended that:

Used diapers should be handled as though contaminated - throw in a plastic bag and wash your hands with soap after handling. There is proof that the virus can be excreted. Older kids should be taught to cover the toilet before flushing. Many people don’t know that when you flush with the toilet open, you spray virus on the surfaces in the bathroom.

Play dates be avoided completely if possible. Where it is not, please limit the number of kids who interact with yours to 2 or 3. The fewer the better and then it’s better to make them play outside but where this is not feasible, ensure that while inside, they maintain some social distance, do not share food, do not put things into their mouths, sneeze into disposable tissues or wipes or the insides of their elbows.

Limit the number of visitors you get as much as possible and set up a wash-hand station at the entrance for everyone coming into your home.

Ensure you regularly clean high-touch surfaces like toys, remote controls, switches, door knobs, counter tops etc.

Please do not visit or have grandparents now. Older people are very vulnerable and it’s difficult for children not to touch, hug or sit on grandparents laps.

In cities where there is no lockdown, before you let your kids leave the house whether it’s with you or otherwise ask yourself if it’s absolutely necessary that they do so. Where they do, social distancing must be practised and kids must be taught to avoid people coughing or sneezing.

Should you feel like taking your children out please avoid playgrounds. Think of other options. How are you going to ensure you children do not touch the equipment there? How are you going to know who touched them before? How are you going to practice social distancing in there? Think open spaces.

Where possible please take your children out of daycare( for those in cities where there is no lock down).

Where you fear that you have been exposed, please isolate yourself in a room. At this time if there is another adult at home who can, he or she should take up handling the children but where you have to do what you usually do throughout the day, be very careful - do not sneeze while cooking and observe other precautionary measures. If you suspect someone else in the house has been exposed even if it’s 1 of the children please isolate him or her the same way.

Stay safe.