In the times where the coronavirus is a raging reality, the second wave has spared very few. Everywhere you look - right from newspapers to social media to TV - there is news of the virus making its way into someone’s lungs. As scary as it is, you know that social distancing is the best way to keep yourself safe and to stop the spread. While many of you might not want to think about ‘what if…’ in the worst-case scenario way, if you have children, then maybe it’s a wise option for you to have a plan in place.
The coronavirus is called ‘Novel’ for a reason. It’s difficult to put a finger on its patterns and therefore, staying prepared is not overhyped at all. This is true if you are parents or caregivers - that way, your responsibility isn’t just towards yourself, but also towards your children and other elders who might be a part of your family.
Therefore, if you and your partner are to be infected by the virus, how should you take care of your children? Here are a few pointers that could help.
While many people would suggest that you should first put a backup plan in place, we feel that if your children are old enough to understand, then it’s best you have a conversation with them. Explain to them about what’s happening and keep them mentally prepared. In case your children are younger, then you might have to skip this step.
If either you or your partner has tested positive, it is essential that the sick parent stays completed quarantined in a separate room. The healthy parent can continue taking care of the child or children till the time the other parent tests negative.
In the scenario where both of you test positive, please demarcate a room in the house where both of you can quarantine. Keeping in mind the fatigue that
accompanies a positive test result, the duties can be split between the parents. When you are taking care of your children, your partner should be confined to the room and vice versa.
This room should be out of bounds for the children and at no cost should they be allowed to enter. They should sleep in a separate room.
While taking care of the children, you should always wear a mask and while feeding them, it’s important that you always wash your hands. If you are breastfeeding your baby, continue wearing your mask. While sleeping, it’s best to let your children sleep alone, but in case they cannot fall asleep without your presence, maintain a considerable distance, wear a mask and leave the room once they have fallen asleep. If the children are very young and need monitoring, follow the same practice and try sleeping near a door or window with the fan switched on so that the viral load of the room is lesser.
Do not send your children to anybody else’s home or ask anyone to come home and take care of them because even if they test negative, it could be a false report and you might spread the virus even further.
While this might sound a little dramatic, it would not be a bad idea to prepare your house for a situation. Some of the points that can help are:
Children might be asymptomatic; hence it’s advised that they stay at home. Children under the age of two should not wear masks while older kids should. The best way to determine if your children are also positive is by observing symptoms - fever, body ache, cough for more than three days, or parents testing positive should warrant for a test. It’s best to go for RT-PCR than chest CT scans.
Always have the numbers of hospitals handy. Keep an oximeter at home to monitor the oxygen levels. Make sure you monitor your health and watch out for any symptoms. Do not panic and ascertain whether you need to go to a hospital or would home quarantining suffice in case you observe any symptoms. Most importantly, stay home, stay safe, and keep sanitizing.
