Coping with Covid-19 and Diabetes in the classrooms during this new normal
Going back to school is becoming the main topic in the US and the world - How do we do it safely and what can happen if all safe guards fail? These are the tough questions that schools, teachers and political leaders are facing during this pandemic. People with Diabetes (PWD) can be more susceptible to this pandemic because of compromised immune systems.
Each state and school districts are working towards providing the highest safety standards as possible for both teachers and students. Some of the steps moving forward are – desks are being moved farther apart, combining online courses and also part time in classroom days. An integral part in figuring this out is, how the children and young adults maintain a social connection to friends during and after classes. Each state and school district will have their own plans so it is best to reach out to them online and check out the COVID-19 plans for the school year.
Keeping oneself healthy during Covid-19 is very important. Exercising, maintaining a balanced diet, practicing social distancing, cleaning hands regularly and wearing a mask.
Check list for back to school:
- Clean cloth face masks every day and have one for each day of the week or disposable facemask change twice a day
- Keep personal hand sanitizer handy
- Clean desk and class room items wiped down with disposable Clorox wipes
- Keep 2 to 3 pairs of good fitting rubber gloves handy (you can wipe these down with bleach wipes or clean with hand sanitizer)
- Practice social distancing in class and out of class
- Wear your Thrive or Thrive Jr glucose aid at all times
ADA (American Diabetes Association) website has guidelines for back to school during COVID-19 Pandemic:
https://www.diabetes.org/resources/know-your-rights/safe-at-school-state-laws
Diabetes must be managed 24/7, and for children with diabetes that includes time spent at school or school sponsored activities like field trips and extracurricular activities, in child care programs, and at summer camp or recreational programs. Our Safe at School campaign works to make sure the diabetes management needs of children are met so they are healthy and safe and able to enjoy the same opportunities as their peers. Learn more about legal protections, written care plans, training, help for schools, and more.
Ada Covid-19 Impacts People with Diabetes https://www.diabetes.org/coronavirus-covid-19/how-coronavirus-impacts-people-with-diabetes
People with diabetes are not more likely to get COVID-19 than the general population. The problem people with diabetes face is primarily a problem of worse outcomes, not greater chance of contracting the virus. In China, where most cases have occurred so far, people with diabetes had much higher rates of serious complications and death than people without diabetes—and generally we believe that the more health conditions someone has (for example, diabetes and heart disease), the higher their chance of getting serious complications from COVID-19. While the death toll is likely to rise as the virus spreads, we expect the death rate—the number of people who die from the virus as a percentage of the total number of people who contract the virus—to go down as we get better at detecting and treating this specific virus.
NSBA (National School Boards Association)
https://www.nsba.org/Resources/coronavirus/legal-guide
