Parents Urged to Equip Children With Skills on Self-Protection vs COVID-19

Parents should take the lead in educating their children and other household members on self-protection measures against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In a press statement, the environmental health group EcoWaste Coalition urged parents to use every opportunity to make their families, especially the young children, critically aware of COVID-19 and the basic steps to avoid being exposed to the dreaded virus.

Echoing the advice of health experts from the Department of Health (DOH), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the group identified essential everyday self-protection measures that should be observed by all members of the family to safeguard themselves from COVID-19:

1. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water.

2.  If you cannot wash your hands, use alcohol-based hand rubs at the earliest opportunity.

3.  When you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow rather than your hands or use a tissue, and properly dispose of the used tissue.

4.  Keep at least 1 meter distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

5.  Avoid touching your face, particularly your eyes, nose and mouth, with hands that have not been washed or cleaned.

6.  Avoid crowded places and keep away from others who are unwell.

7.  Boost resistance by eating fruits and vegetables and drinking plenty of water.

The group likewise reminded parents to ensure that frequently touched objects and surfaces such as door knobs, light switches, remote controls, tables and chairs are frequently cleaned and disinfected using appropriate household cleaners and disinfectants.

Additionally, the EcoWaste Coalition stressed the importance of ecologically managing household waste as improper disposal can put families and communities at risk of other preventable diseases.

“Ecological solid waste management (ESWM) can help in preventing cholera, dengue, gastroenteritis, leptospirosis, typhoid fever and other diseases, and thus protect and improve public health,” the group, an advocate for a zero waste and toxics-free society, said.

Republic Act 9003, or the ESWM Act of 2000, provides for a comprehensive and eco-friendly approach to managing discards sans open dumping, open burning and waste incineration.

"Waste prevention, reduction, segregation at source, reuse, recycling and composting will go a long way in building clean and healthy homes and communities," the group pointed out.

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Reference:

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

https://www.doh.gov.ph/node/19137

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html