Respiratory illness season is here, with COVID, flu, RSV, whooping cough, and other respiratory illnesses spreading. Huron Perth Public Health, Family Health Teams, and local hospitals want to help you and your children stay safe during this time. Here’s how parents and caregivers in Huron Perth can keep their families healthy in the coming months.
To lower the risk of getting sick, it’s important to wash your hands often and stay home if you’re feeling unwell. Keeping up to date on vaccinations is another key step. Make sure to cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing, and wear a mask if needed. Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces regularly, as well as improving ventilation in indoor spaces, also helps reduce the risk of illness.
Most respiratory illnesses in children, like colds, flu, RSV, and COVID-19, can be managed at home without needing prescription medicine. However, in some cases, medical care may be needed. You can find more advice on managing children’s respiratory symptoms from the Ontario College of Family Physicians. Their fact sheet is also available in different languages on the OCFP website.
More details on these steps can be found at www.hpph.ca/illness. For information on vaccines for flu, COVID, whooping cough, and RSV, visit www.hpph.ca/getvaccinated.
Written by: K. Milhomens