Summer Safety During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Summer will undoubtedly look different this year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that school is officially out for the summer, kids will be spending more time outside. Below is a list of things to keep in mind to ensure kids’ safety during this season.

COVID-19 Summer Safety Tips:

·       Bike and scooter safety: Make sure kids wear a properly-fitted helmet at all times. For scooter safety, wear knee and elbow pads.

·       Guard against dehydration: If your kids are outside in the heat, make sure they take water with them to stay hydrated. It is also very important to hydrate before going outside. The amount of water each child should drink varies by age, weight and activity level; however, a good rule of thumb is to divide your child’s body weight in half and have him or her drink that many ounces of water each day.

·       Pack the essentials when leaving the house: Before you head out into the community, whether to a park or local pool, make sure that you have the essentials with you, including sunscreen, masks, hand sanitizer, and hats.

·       Be safe in the community: Especially this summer, try to stay away from crowds and maintain social distancing. If you arrive at a park and it is packed, find a different one.

·       Pool safety: Constantly supervise kids around the water and avoid distractions. Around the pool, have young children and inexperienced swimmers wear life jackets. For those with kiddie or inflatable pools at home, make sure to flip them over when they are not in use to prevent rainwater buildup, which kids may fall into.