Schools are breeding grounds for germs. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 22 million school days are lost annually due to the common cold alone.  

“The main way illnesses like colds and flu are spread is from person to person,” explains Debbie Leger, RN, BSN, CCRN, Community Health and Safe Kids Catawba County coordinator for Catawba Valley Medical Center.  “In schools, children are in close quarters for long periods of time, which often makes it easy for germs to spread rampantly.”

Now that school is back in session, those familiar yellow school buses are back on the road.  According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), the greatest risk to a child’s safety is not riding the bus, but approaching or leaving the bus.

“As a parent, it’s important to teach your children of common sense practices that can make their school bus experience safer,” says Debbie Leger, RN, BSN, CCRN, Catawba Valley Medical Center’s Safe Kids Catawba County Coordinator.  “Even if they’ve taken the bus before, it never hurts to review safe school bus practices together.”

According to Jennifer Sharpe, RN, a Catawba County school nurse with Sweetwater Elementary and Arndt Middle School, two important tips for summer fun include sun protection and water safety.  Following is her advice for families and children this summer:

“Now that summer is here, everyone in the family should be safe while playing outside or enjoying outside summer activities.  One of the most important things is to always wear sunscreen when outside.  You should wear sunscreen even if you are only going to be out for short periods of time.