
Top 5 Tips For Dealing With Back To School Germs
1. Handwashing for the win!
Handwashing is the number one way to cut down on the spread of germs according to the Center for Disease Control. The problem is, most of us aren’t doing it right, especially kids. A great way to help your kids avoid back to school germs is to teach them how to wash their hands effectively. Use warm water and soap, scrub for at least 20 seconds (or sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice!) and repeat:- Before and after prepping food
- After eating or drinking
- After using the restroom
- After touching an animal or animal waste
- After coughing or sneezing
- After caring for someone who is sick
- After treating a cut or wound
- After touching garbage
2. Tweak some behaviors
Making small changes to some of our habits can help us decrease the spread of germs. Here are some of the top ways little changes can make a big difference when it comes to back to school germs:- Sneeze “like a vampire:” into your elbow (instead of your hands)
- Let water fountains run for a few seconds before drinking from the water stream, as water fountains can harbor more bacteria than toilets.
- Sharing is caring, but sometimes we unintentionally share germs with each other while we’re trying to share juice or animal crackers. Food allergies add an extra scary layer to sharing, so it’s important to teach littler kids not to share their lunches and drinks.
- The “5 Second Rule” is not a thing, so don’t eat things off the floor. We’re talking to you, Preschoolers!