Ways to prepare your children for Covid exposure at school

Devising contingency plans for what they should do if they, or their friends, are exposed to the coronavirus can help reassure them

Now that some kids are back in the classroom, there’s a very real possibility that they may be exposed to the coronavirus and may need to be tested — or to isolate — which can be alarming.

One of the best things you can do to prepare your child, no matter their age, is to explain that there are plans in place should someone be exposed. Here are six things you can do to help.

Clear up misinformation

First, ask children what they already know about the pandemic and the rules that the school has in place for keeping them safe, said Dr Anna Miller-Fitzwater, a clinical associate professor of paediatrics at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, US. If your own understanding of the school’s policy is different from how your child is explaining it, you might want to clarify with the school — and if there is misinformation floating around, correct it.