Dear Families,
I hope this letter finds you all well, healthy and sane after being home bound all week. As the world faces this uncertain time of crisis due to the COVID -19 virus I have worked diligently to take the time to learn more about the virus itself, how it spreads and how it affects people. The following information was obtained from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention. I have found this information to be accurate and useful, which is why I am sharing it with you.
What Is Novel Coronavirus?
On February 11, 2020 the World Health Organization announced an official name for the disease that is causing the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak, first identified in Wuhan China. The new name of this disease is coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19. In COVID-19, ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”.
There are many types of human coronaviruses including some that commonly cause mild upper-respiratory tract illnesses. COVID-19 is a new disease, caused be a novel (or new) coronavirus that has not previously been seen in humans. The name of this disease was selected following the World Health Organization (WHO) best practiceexternal icon for naming of new human infectious diseases.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some cause illness in people, and others, such as canine and feline coronaviruses, only infect animals. Rarely, animal coronaviruses that infect animals have emerged to infect people and can spread between people. This is suspected to have occurred for the virus that causes COVID-19. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) are two other examples of coronaviruses that originated from animals and then spread to people. More information about the source and spread of COVID-19 is available on the Situation Summary: Source and Spread of the Virus.
COVID-19 and Children
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.
How can I protect my child from COVID-19 infection?
You can encourage your child to help stop the spread of COVID-19 by teaching them to do the same things everyone should do to stay healthy.
- Clean hands often using soap and water (preferred method) for at least 20 second (the equivalent of singing the alphabet song slowly) or alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water on not available.
- Avoid people who are sick (coughing and sneezing)
- Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily in household common areas (e.g. tables, hard-backed chairs, doorknobs, light switches, remotes, handles, desks, toilets, sinks)
- Launder items including washable plush toys as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and dry items completely. Dirty laundry from an ill person can be washed with other people’s items.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue in the trash and then wash your hands.
- Avoid touching your eyes, mouth or nose with unwashed hands
- Stay home when you are sick
You can find additional information on preventing COVID-19 at Prevention for 2019 Novel Coronavirus and at Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities. Additional information on how COVID-19 is spread is available at How COVID-19 Spreads.
What are the symptoms of COVID -19
Current symptoms reported for patients with COVID-19 have included mild to severe respiratory illness with fever1, cough, and difficulty breathing. Read about COVID-19 Symptoms.
I am sure you have many questions and I urge you to obtain answers by visiting the CDC website and or the WHO website for information.
How to proceed with therapy
One question I will attempt to answer is how to move forward with therapy.
I have decided to no longer bring toys into your homes. I will be washing my hands at the beginning and end of each session as well as when necessary when children cough and sneeze. I have a limited supply of wipes and will be disinfecting surfaces such as toys when a child sneezes or coughs.
Additionally, I have placed an online order to obtain scrubs in order to change out my shirt between visits. I have not been able to find N95 ventilator masks. I have reached out to healthy connections to see if they have the ability to obtain the masks as CDC indicated the regular paper mask do not prevent the spread of COVID-19.
As many of you know I underwent surgery for breast cancer in March 2014. During the surgery many of my lymph nodes were removed in both my right and left arm. The lymph nodes are essential in filtering out harmful substances such as bacteria. They also produce white blood cells to help fight infection. As such my immune system has been compromised.
I will be implementing a stronger cancellation policy to protect myself and your families from contracting the COVID– 19 virus. It will be posted on my website www.BarbAnslowMyers.com . I will ask each family to sign off on the new policy when visits resume.
As most of you know when I agree to take on a family for intervention your family becomes a part of my family. I truly love and respect each family I work with and it is my utmost desire to make sure that I keep the children and their families safe during this crisis. I cannot tell you how much I missed seeing children this week. You and your children bring me great joy.
I know that you will take these considerations to heart as your decisions affect so many others. I implore you to really take a look at the cancellation policy to make sure we are all keeping each other safe. I will be contacting each family as soon as I feel I have the necessary material(s) and have taken precautions to proceed with therapy.
I truly believe if we all work together we will have positive outcomes. I thank the families who have reached out to me to let me know their personal situations and have canceled therapy as they await the results of their test. Please know I will keep you all in my prayers and am hopeful we will see each other soon!
Sincerely,
Barb