Back to school: How to avoid common colds and illnesses

Teach your children to cover their mouths when coughing and sneezing.

Aug. 23. You can’t send your child to school in a bubble to keep germs at bay, but there are less radical things you can to to help them stay healthy in school.

Dr. Ana Vega

“Let’s face it – going to school exposes kids to a lot of germs,” says Dr. Ana Vega, pediatrician at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Piedmont Pediatrics. “While there’s no way to completely prevent them from picking up a bug, you can reduce their chances of getting and spreading common illnesses.” 

Here are some simple steps, according to Vega:

• Teach them to cover their mouths when coughing and sneezing
• Encourage handwashing and hand sanitizing
• Make sure they get an annual flu vaccine
• Keep children home for 24 hours if they have a fever
• Vaccinate children six months and older against COVID-19