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Going Back to School Safely During COVID

By August 11, 2020October 24th, 2020Cold and Flu, Immune System
back to school safely during covid

Since COVID appeared, there have been no easy answers—especially those of the health variety.  Now that the school year has begun, we pray you and your family can settle in and feel confident about the decision you have made about fall school attendance.  We have been encouraging our families to choose the option that would bring the least amount of family strain and stress.  Reducing anxiety as much as possible is good for parents and students alike!  We hope our suggestions below will help you with that as well.

Health Tips While COVID is With Us

Support your immune system with supplements.

Vitamin D3: Study after study has reported that Americans are deficient in Vitamin D3, especially at the optimal levels that fend off disease.  Children with higher Vitamin D3 levels contract fewer colds, flu and other viral infections.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3s): Omega-3s have been shown to counteract the suppression of the cellular immune system, suppress TNF alpha production (a cell signaling protein that causes inflammation) and have an overall anti-inflammatory effect.

Probiotics: The gastrointestinal tract relies on live bacteria (microflora) to help support a robust immune response.  Probiotics prevent foreign bacteria and allergens from passing through the intestinal wall and have an important role for the overall health of the intestinal immune system.

Vitamin D3, omegas and probiotics are very important!  We call them the “Trifecta for Immune Health.”  We have them at a special bundled price for our members this month!

Add elderberry!

Elderberries are the fruit of the sambucus tree and have been used for thousands of years to help treat upper respiratory infections.  Hippocrates was among the first physicians to use elderberries.  In supplement form, it is available as gummies, syrups, pills and lozenges.

Ensure overall nutrition.

Want to make sure your whole family has the vitamins and antioxidants it needs?  Stock up on Juice Plus+ to cover deficiencies!

Visit The Salt Room.

Salt therapy accelerates mucus clearance and improves lung function, while killing harmful bacteria and soothing the respiratory system.  It is great for allergies, colds and flu.  Read more about our salt room here:  https://mycipc.com/can-the-salt-room-help/

COVID Tips for Face-to-Face Situations

Teachers are awesome!  Do your part so they can spend their time teaching math, science, history and English, not COVID etiquette. 

Mind your masks. 

Masks should be worn properly to be effective.  First, choose a mask that fits well and doesn’t slide around or require adjustments.  Practice wearing a mask properly with your kids.  Teach them to avoid touching their face if they need to adjust it.

More healthy habits.

  • Teach your kids appropriate hand washing—with good technique (thoroughly) and for at least 20 seconds. As you’ve probably heard, singing the “Happy Birthday” song twice lasts about 20 seconds.  Feel free to sing any song that lasts 20 seconds.
  • Despite what we have always taught our children, during this time it is necessary that they refrain from sharing school supplies!
  • Be mindful about providing easy-to-open lunch containers and snack packages so that teachers don’t have to spend their lunchtime assisting your kids.

As an office, we are closely monitoring the situation and following CDC and DOH guidelines. We have staggered our schedule to eliminate wait times and people checking in and out at the same time. We are asking about exposure risks before bringing patients into the office.

If you suspect your child could have a COVID 19 infection or exposure, we will assist you with managing symptoms at home and finding testing sites as well as rescheduling any upcoming appointments.  Please note that our playroom and toys have been put away at this time.  If you know your child is more comfortable with his or her toys or books during an exam, please bring them from home.

As always, we are here to address any of your concerns about your child’s health.

 

Image copyright:  123rf/famveldman

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