Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center: Individuals and Families
What steps can my family take to reduce our risk of getting COVID-19?
Practice everyday preventive actions to help reduce your risk of getting sick and remind everyone in your home to do the same. These actions are especially important for older adults and people who have severe chronic medical conditions:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and throw the tissue in the trash.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects
(e.g., tables, countertops, light switches, doorknobs, and cabinet handles).
What steps can my family take to reduce our risk of getting COVID-19?
Practice everyday preventive actions to help reduce your risk of getting sick and remind everyone in your home to do the same. These actions are especially important for older adults and people who have severe chronic medical conditions:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and throw the tissue in the trash.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects
(e.g., tables, countertops, light switches, doorknobs, and cabinet handles).
What is the risk of my child becoming sick with COVID-19?
Based on available evidence, children do not appear to be at higher risk for COVID-19 than adults. While some children and infants have been sick with COVID-19, adults make up most of the known cases to date. You can learn more about who is most at risk for health problems if they have COVID-19 infection on CDC’s current Risk Assessment page.
Are the symptoms of COVID-19 different in children than in adults?
No. The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar in children and adults. However, children with confirmed COVID-19 have generally presented with mild symptoms. Reported symptoms in children include cold-like symptoms, such as fever, runny nose, and cough. Vomiting and diarrhea have also been reported. It’s not known yet whether some children may be at higher risk for severe illness, for example, children with underlying medical conditions and special healthcare needs. There is much more to be learned about how the disease impacts children.
What is the risk to pregnant women of getting COVID-19?
We do not currently know if pregnant women have a greater chance of getting sick from COVID-19 than the general public nor whether they are more likely to have serious illness as a result. Pregnant women experience changes in their bodies that may increase their risk of some infections. With viruses from the same family as COVID-19, and other viral respiratory infections, such as influenza, women have had a higher risk of developing severe illness. It is always important for pregnant women to protect themselves from illnesses.
- COVID-19 General Resources
- Coronavirus CDC Resources
- Managing Stress and Anxiety When Navigating a Health Crisis(CDC)
- Map: Coronavirus and School Closures(Education Week)
- Weathering the Storm– Headspace Meditation App
- Physical Activity, Play and Discovery
- Playworks Online Game Library
- Playworks Game Guide(Downloadable PDF)
- GoNoodle Library
- Yoga Ed Youtube Channel– Yoga for Children
- Alo Yoga Youtube Channel– Yoga for Children
- OMTastic Yoga Free Yoga Resources for Children and Families
- Imagination Tree Blog– Resources and Activities for Fun at Home
- Scholastic Learn at Home: Day to Day Projects to Keep Kids Growing
- PBS Kids Learn and Grow: Age by Age Tips & Activities for Social Emotional Learing, Literacy, Arts and More!
- Second Step Summer Reading List
- Science with a Side of Awesome– Crash Course Kids YouTube
- NatGeoKids National Geographic
- TimeActivities for Kids at Home During School Closures
- 100 Mile Club Free 26 Day Challenge
- CATCH Health at Home PE & Health Resources for Parents
- Steps for Locating Meals in Your School District: Families should check with their school district or local food bank. Many states have received a waiver from the USDA that allows schools to provide meals for all children under 18 and are not required to eat on site. Feeding sites are available through out the community and available for ALL children and not just those that go to a particular school. If you can’t locate a site in your area, call your school district and/or local food bank, and they can help connect you to food in your area.
- Emergency Grant Request– for school districts and nonprofit organizations to support food access for children and families affected by school closures. (No Kid Hungry)
- MyPlate Kids Place– Games, Activity Sheets, Videos and Songs (USDA)
- MyPlate Snack Tips for Parents(USDA)
- Protect Your Health with Immune-Boosting Nutrition(Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
- NutriStudents K-12 Free COVID-19 Emergency Menu for Schools
- Nutrition Games, Printables and Moreby Nourish Interactive
- CATCH Health at Home Nutrition Education Resources for Parents
- Food Access and Nutrition
- Find Your Local Food Bank(Feeding America)
- Resources for Transition to Online Learning/ Home Schooling
- The Resilient Leader(ASCD)
- Transitioning to Online Learning: Pro Tips on What You Need to Know(ASCD)
- Social Emotional Learning: Take Home Activities and Virtual Staff Professional Development(Aperture Education)
- Resources for Teaching Online Due to School Closures(EduBlogger)
- 75+ Free Online Learning Resources for Shifting to Virtual Schooling(We Are Teachers)
- How Kahn Academy Can Be Used for Remote Learning During School Closures
- Daily Schedules Age 4-18(Khan Academy)
- Non-Traditional Instruction Health Education Prompts by Grade Level (Cairn Guidance)
- Resources for Remote Learning, Online PE, and At-Home Fitness(SHAPE America) – *Bookmark and Continue to Check Back
- Resources for School Staff: Navigating a Health Crisis
- Coronavirus: Multilingual Resources for Schools(Colorin Colorado)
- Interim Guidance for Administrators of US Childcare Programs and K-12 Schools to Plan, Prepare and Respond(CDC)
- Considerations for School Closures(CDC)
- Fact Sheet: Impact of COVID-19 on Assessments and Accountability Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act(U.S.DOE)
- Questions and Answers on Providing Services to Children with Disabilities During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak(U.S. DOE)
- FERPA & Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs) (U.S. DOE)
- Protecting Civil Rights of Students During COVID-19(U.S. DOE)
- FNS Response to COVID-19(USDA)
- A Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Approach to Responding to Health Crises(ASCD)
- Keep Calm and Wash Your Hands(ASCD)
- Summertime Strategies Can Help Schools Respond to Coronavirus(ASCD)
- School Communities Rely on Calm and Thoughtful Leadership(ASCD)
- COVID-19 and Homelessness: Strategies for Schools and Early Learning Programs(School House Connection)
- Guidelines for Talking with Students About the Coronavirus(Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility)
- Resources for Parents: Navigating a Health Crisis
- Talking to Children about COVID-19(National Association of School Psychologists)
- Talking to Children about COVID-19(NASP/NSNA Fact Sheet) (National Association of School Psychologists)
- How to Talk to Children about Coronavirus(PBS Kids)
- How You and Your Children Can De-stress During Coronavirus(PBS Kids)
- Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with the Coronavirus(National Child Traumatic Stress Network)