How to Minimise Sickness in the Classroom

It’s an unfortunate reality that when one person in a classroom is sick with something contagious, the bug can quickly spread to others in the class. While the spread of germs and infection is not entirely avoidable, particularly amongst children, strategies and approaches can be employed to reduce the amount of sickness in any one classroom.

A Clean, Hygienic Environment Is Essential

It’s absolutely vital that a classroom is professionally, thoroughly and effectively cleaned. Teachers and child care staff cannot be expected to clean to such a degree in the course of their day-to-day work. After all, their foremost priority is the care and education of the children in their classes. A professional, reputable cleaning service like AMC Cleaningshould be used to clean, sanitise and promote the hygiene of classrooms. Only professional cleaners can clean appropriately, and can come in to do their job outside of school or childcare hours – when classrooms are empty and the space and its surfaces can be thoroughly cleaned.

Given that children and young people typically use classrooms, it is possible to work with the professional cleaning service used to ensure that the products used in the cleaning process are non-toxic, safe and even safe for the environment.

Keep Up To Date With Immunisations

In order to reduce the risk of becoming sick, it’s important for children (and also those working with children in classrooms) to be up-to-date with the immunisations recommended. Of course, not all people agree with immunisation for children and immunisation will not prevent an individual from contracting some of the most commonly spread viruses and infections (including colds and gastroenteritis). Nevertheless, immunisation is one way of attempting to minimise the spread of illness.

Keep Sick Children At Home

While many parents rely on their child being at childcare, pre-school or school so that they may work, it is critically important that children with symptoms of illness are excluded from school or care.

Whenever children are together, there is a chance that infection will be spread. This is particularly true for young children who so often touch others in their class and share toys and other resources. While it can be inconvenient to stay at home or make alternative plans for care if your child is sick, it is the best way to ensure they do not spread illness to others, and you should hope that other parents take the same approach When Their Children Are Unwell.

Plans to lower risk when a class member is ill

For sickness in the classroom to be minimised, it’s also important that a clear approach exists for responding to children with symptoms of illness. Schools and childcare centres should be clear about what the steps that will be taken when a child is sneezing and/or sniffling, is vomiting or has diarrhoea. If you are a parent, it is also important that you know how this will be managed at your child’s school or childcare centre.

Minimising sickness in the classroom is not always easy but there are steps that can be taken to reduce the spread of illness and the likelihood of becoming unwell.