As coronavirus outbreak continues to evolve, help your family channel concern into preparation — especially for a potential mandatory coronavirus quarantine in your community. During this time of uncertainty, creating a household plan empowers your whole family to feel a little less stressed by taking positive steps that ease your minds.
Preparation 101: Set Realistic Expectations
Setting realistic expectations for your family during coronavirus outbreak is key to preparing effectively. When you expect the worst, you’ll be prepared in case it does happen. For your family, setting your expectations can mean:
- Expecting a quarantine period for your community, if mandated by public health officials
- Expecting to call your doctor or use the AdventHealth app to schedule a video visit to diagnose you or family member
- Expecting to cancel all non-essential travel (currently happening with many countries that have confirmed coronavirus cases)
- Expecting your entire family to have to work or attend school from home
While your community might not ever undergo a coronavirus quarantine, it’s important to plan for one as if it’s inevitable, so you’re better prepared if it does occur. You can find more information on creating a household readiness plan for coronavirus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To prepare yourself and your family for a mandatory coronavirus quarantine, get started with these steps.
Follow Coronavirus Updates from Trusted Sources
News and updates on coronavirus are unfolding every day. Your family can stay informed and separate coronavirus myths from the facts with information from trusted sources.
To help your family stay informed and not panicked, get your updates from reliable sources, like:
Coronavirus Updates for Expectant or Breastfeeding Mothers
If your family is growing, it’s important to take measures to keep your little ones safe. This includes the smallest family members that aren’t here yet. If you’re expecting a new family member soon or are currently breastfeeding, the CDC has thorough FAQs and information specifically for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Make Sure Each Family Member Knows and Practices Hygiene Measures
Whether or not your community will face a quarantine, everyone in your family can do their part to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, starting with good hygiene habits.
From your tiniest family members to the head of your household, make sure everyone knows how to protect themselves and others with their hygiene. Explain to your kids how good hygiene is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of germs, and how this is especially important now with the current coronavirus.
Based on the World Health Organization's recommendations, you can talk to your family about:
- Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth
- Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue, and then throwing it away
- Good hand-washing, like singing the alphabet song twice before rinsing
- Keeping an alcohol-based hand sanitizer close by and using it often
Anticipate Your Entire Family Staying Home During a Coronavirus Quarantine
As part of containing a virus outbreak, the CDC mentioned that social distancing measures — like staying home, avoiding crowds and people who are sick — may be recommended for your community to stop the spread of coronavirus. This means your family may need to stay at home for a temporary quarantine period.
Together with your family, you can make a plan for schooling and working from home, starting with contacting your kids’ schools and your workplace.
Plan for the Kids to Stay Home from School
The CDC mentioned in a telebriefing that it’s important to prepare for schools to be closed temporarily, and that it’s a good idea to ask them questions now to be prepared.
As part of your planning for a mandatory coronavirus quarantine period, reach out to your child’s school. Ask for specific information as you prepare for your kids to be at home. Some good questions to ask include:
- What measures are you taking now to keep kids safe from the virus in school?
- What is your current plan for school closures or dismissals?
- Will you be offering online education or webinars if kids have to stay home?
Additionally, if you have kids in daycare or childcare, contact your care center to ask about their closures in the coming weeks.
If you’re an administrator in a childcare center or K-12 school, you can read the CDC’s interim guidance on how to prepare for and respond to coronavirus effectively.
Plan to Work from Home
Now is a great time to talk to your workplace leadership team about what their plans are for working from home. A few good questions to ask your supervisor or manager that can help you prepare ahead of time include:
- What are the expectations for my team during this time?
- What are our current plans for working from home?
- Will we be replacing all currently scheduled meetings with video conferences?
If you’re an employer, you can read the CDC’s interim guidance for businesses and employers to better understand how to prepare for coronavirus in your workplace effectively.
Plan to Call or Schedule a Virtual Visit with Your Doctor During Quarantine
While we hope that no one in your family gets sick, it’s important to know what do to if someone feels unwell.
Make a plan with your family to call your primary care doctor or pediatrician or make an appointment for a video visit through your phone or tablet if someone feels sick. Your physician will be able to advise you on appropriate next steps over the phone.
In order to limit the spread of COVID-19, you should avoid the emergency room at your local hospital except in cases of an emergency.
We’re Here to See Your Family Through This
As you continue to prepare your family for a potential coronavirus quarantine, AdventHealth is by your side, every step of the way. We’re here to help answer your questions, offer your family expert medical care and ease your minds in as many ways as possible.
Get answers to FAQs about coronavirus, read more blogs like this one and find other important resources on our Coronavirus Resource Hub
