Now more than ever, it’s important to know how to protect your family from germs! While you likely already talk about the importance of washing their hands and covering their mouth when they sneeze or couch, there are lots of other things you can do to help protect your family from germs. Here are a few further steps you can take to help prevent anyone in your family from getting sick.
1. Keep up on laundry
While staying at home may make wearing the same clothes repeatedly tempting, it’s important to wash items frequently. Consider regularly washing items like plush toys and throw blankets that your children touch often, as well as being especially intentional about regularly washing hand towels, washcloths, and other fabric items your family may use. Remember to wash items according to the instructions on the tag, even if that means smaller load sizes.
2. Sanitize high touch surfaces regularly
When was the last time you sanitized your phone, refrigerator handle, or glasses? These surfaces can all hold and carry germs! Try to wipe down things you and your child touch regularly at least once a day. Remember to include items like favorite toys and tablets, as well as surfaces like counters, handles, and shelves. If you use cleaners that aren’t child-safe, remember to put them away immediately after use in a place your child cannot get to!
3. Stay away from large gatherings
It’s important to stay away from people who may be sick, and because some people may not show symptoms, avoiding large gatherings is ideal. Whenever possible, stay home together, but if you have to go out, try to go places at lower traffic times to avoid coming into contact with people who may be sick. One easy way to do this is to try to go places during a weekday instead of on weekends, but you may want to use a tool like Google Maps to see what high traffic times are for specific places. Whether you are able to go during a low traffic time or not, remember to wash your hands immediately when you get home and wipe down anything you bring home with you!
While there’s no 100% perfect way to protect your family from every germ, these are some extra steps that can help keep your family happy and healthy! Remember to always emphasize the basics too: wash your hands, cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough, and stay home if you aren’t feeling well.