Back to School Tips for COVID-19

Back to School Tips for COVID-19

As we move forward in this school year and in all future years, it has become profoundly evident that hygiene and general cleanliness need to be a topic that is discussed with our children, even at a young age.

Each parent knows what will work best when teaching their child, whether it is a competition to see who can make the most soap bubbles when washing their hands or making up a silly dance to teach their child how to cough or sneeze into their elbow. But sometimes, finding the right words can be difficult, and remembering all the tips and tricks can easily slip your mind.

BenzaRid is here to help. We have compiled a list of pointers to help you sort out some of the anxiety and make this vital discussion easy, fun, and direct.

Prepare your students

• Discuss the importance of adequately washing hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water frequently outside the home.
• Label personal belongings, keep them in a safe space for only your use, and disinfect them every time after use.
• Be sure to wear a face mask and social distance when possible
• Avoid sharing electronics and supplies with other students and teachers. If you do share items, make sure those items are thoroughly sanitized and disinfected between each use.
• Keep children at home if someone in your family recently had close contact with someone with the COVID-19 virus or is experiencing symptoms such as a fever or cough.
• Discuss your school’s sanitizing and disinfecting protocols.
• Ensure that the school has a proper game plan regarding how to handle outbreaks and quarantining sick children until parents can pick them up. 

Best Practices for Out of The House

• Wear face masks inside the school or around other classmates to prevent the spread of germs.
• Properly wash your hands whenever possible. Opting for hand sanitizer when washing is not an option
• Clean and disinfect school supplies shared between staff and students.
• Remember that if you or your child are feeling sick, running a fever, or exhibiting other signs of COVID-19, quarantine at home. Also, make sure to inform your child’s school or your own work so they can anticipate the absence.

Returning Home

• Remove shoes and leave them outside, or sanitize them before bringing them into your home. This step will help stop germs from being transferred into the home from public places.
• Remove any clothes worn outside the home, put them in a laundry bag or a closed trash bag upon returning home, and wash them immediately.
• After entering the home, wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
• Disinfect high-touch surfaces used as you enter, including door handles, purses, book bags, phones, electronics, keys, payment cards, etc.
• Disinfect highly used touch points daily, or as often as possible, with an EPA-registered disinfectant such as BenzaRid.
• Wash and dry clothes and face masks worn outside the home, separately at a higher temperature (100–125°F) for at least 30 minutes to kill any bacteria or germs that may have infected your clothes.

Prevent the Spread of Germs

• Upon return, Disinfect school bags and lunch boxes and keep them away from universal surfaces.
• Try to keep school supplies and bags in a closed storage bin or separate them from other household items.
• Create a designated area to do homework or separate school items and disinfect daily.
• After handling any school items, ensure children wash their hands and sanitize the items they touch. 
• Disinfect home and hard surfaces daily to prevent the spread of germs. 

The staff here at BenzaRid understands that these times are unprecedented and unpredictable. Don’t be caught off guard; get ahead of the problem by addressing it and how you will handle it with your friends, family, and loved ones. It is with our sincerest hope and wishes that we should make it through this pandemic stronger as a community, a company, and as one nation.

Stay Safe, 

The BenzaRid Family