Asthma Society launch Covid-19 checklist
Returning to school amid Covid-19 will be daunting for some especially if they have asthma as they will require extra protection.
With this in mind, the Asthma Society of Ireland has launched its Back2School checklist as part of its Life Alongside Covid-19 campaign.
The Asthma Society’s Back2School Checklist, which is available to download from asthma.ie, will help support children returning to education and their parents by providing them with the necessary information on staying safe in school in a world where Covid-19 is ever present.
Emily Blennerhassett, interim CEO of the Asthma Society of Ireland, said: “Our services have experienced a high demand of calls relating to the reopening of schools. One in ten calls to our Asthma and COPD Adviceline are directly related to returning to school during Covid-19. Parents are concerned for their children with asthma, teachers with chronic respiratory conditions are worried about returning to the classroom, and young people themselves are anxious about how they are going to cope in a school environment with their condition.
“The Asthma Society wants to support all people with asthma and COPD as schools reopen. Protecting their health is our top priority. In light of Covid-19, asthma management is more important than ever before.”
Get the basics right
• Use inhaler technique videos on asthma.ie to help your child take their inhaler properly.
• Make sure your child always carries their reliever inhaler (usually blue) in case of an asthma emergency. If your child is using their reliever inhaler more than twice a week, they may be over-reliant. Speak to your healthcare professional.
• Complete an asthma action plan with your GP or respiratory specialist.Familiarise yourself with the 5 Step Rule available from asthma.ie.
• Follow the Asthma Society’s top tips for managing your condition and keeping well at asthma.ie/keeping-well-with-asthma-and-copd-during-covid-19.
• Learn more about asthma. Visit asthma.ie to access free resources.
Stay Covid-19 aware
• Encourage your child to wash their hands regularly for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water and use hand sanitizer as often as possible.
• Encourage your child to cough and sneeze into a tissue or napkin then dispose immediately into a bin.
• If your child develops Covid-19 symptoms, inform the school and self-isolate.
Speak to your school/request information about its Covid-19 school policy.