Fredericksburg Parent

14 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • October 2022 As we celebrate the progress the world has made in the fight against COVID-19, it's understandable for parents to have questions about how best to keep kids and adults healthy in this new era of our life with the virus. The Rappahannock Area Health District (RAHD) is here with answers on some of the most common questions parents have. While COVID-19 has received much of the focus of disease-prevention strategies in recent years, the end of many COVID-prevention behaviors means families should be extra vigilant about other seasonal illness- es, such as influenza, this year. Fortunately, many of the strategies—vaccinations, hand washing and staying home when sick—that have helped control the spread of COVID are also the best tools we have to prevent many other illnesses. Here, Erin Perkins, RAHD's COVID Response Team Coordinator, offers the most up-to-date information for parents, and the best sources to monitor for guid- ance as we enter the colder months. A Parent's Guide to Staying Healthy This Winter INTERVIEWED BY EMILY FREEHLING FRED PARENT: What are the key strategies for staying healthy that families should focus on at this point in the pandemic? RAHD: Vaccination remains the best line of defense. This goes for both COVID-19 and influenza. Flu shots are widely available at pediatricians' offices, pharmacies and the Health District's five offices in Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Caroline and King George. Vaccination against COVID-19 is now available starting at 6 months of age. Whether you are looking for a primary series of vaccinations or a booster for yourself or your children, call your pediatrician or consult the RAHD immunizations schedule at vdh.virginia.gov/rappahannock and call your local health department to make an appointment. In addition to getting vaccinated, the best strategies are really the same things we have talked about all along. Washing your hands frequently will prevent the spread of illness. Staying home when you are sick will help keep COVID-19 and other illnesses from spreading. Following the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on when to test for COVID-19 can help control community spread. While masks are no longer required in schools and other settings, they are still an option to protect yourself and others, and they should be worn if you have COVID-19 symptoms. Brought to you by the Rappahannock Area Health District SPONSORED MATERIAL

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