Starting school after the summer holidays is stressful for children and parents but this year we also have to contend with a global pandemic. Covid-19 brought sudden changes to all our lives. Whilst many adults found themselves working from home or perhaps lost their jobs, meanwhile many schools were closed and children found themselves isolated at home, unable to see friends and loved ones. Such radical change to routine has been very unsettling for many children.

If your child is returning to school full time you may have some anxieties about their safety, will they be able to socially distance? Will they wash their hands regularly and keep their mask on correctly?

Here are some tips to help you through this unsure time:

• Your school should have sent you a returning to school guide by now. Read it through carefully and ask them follow up questions.
• Talk to your children, just because they’re going back to school doesn’t mean that it’s going to be like any other school year. This is going to be a different school year. It’s important to talk about those differences in advance to make sure that the children have an understanding, regardless of their age, that it’s important that they comply with whatever the guidelines are at the school.
• Make sure to follow your schools’ instructions such as the type of mask the children should wear and the equipment they may need like pencil cases that can be easily sanitized.
• Prepare their lunch bag in disposable containers and paper bags to reduce the chance of infection.
• Teach your kids to wash their hands regularly and thoroughly and send them with some hand sanitizer for the times they don’t have access to soap and water.
• Check your children’s immunisations and if you aren’t up to date then book to have them done before the start of the school year.
• Check your children for temperature it must be below 37.5 degrees celsius, or any symptoms of Covid-19 regularly and if they are unable to return to school have an emergency plan in place for child care if needed.

If your child or anyone in your family are at high risk (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/index.html) you children may need to continue with distance learning. If you are unsure then have a chat with one of your doctors at Health at Hand and who can help you with your decision.

Dr Ruhil Badiani

Family Medicine Consultant

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s health,  ask your Health at Hand doctor for advice through our app that can be easily downloaded from the App Store.