What You Need to Know-Week of May 25th
The most important weekly updates for you to keep your community healthy
In this Update:
1. Parenting during a Pandemic: Summer Childcare
2. Which COVID-19 Test Am I Getting?
3. Domestic Violence
1. Parenting during a Pandemic: Summer Childcare
Parenting during a pandemic poses unique challenges: from explaining the current situation with COVID-19, to keeping children entertained at home, to keeping them safe as the world begins re-opening. With summer upon us, new challenges are coming up. In the next few weeks, we will be highlighting different parenting challenges and offering tips and resources to help.
Summer Childcare
As Arizona businesses begin to reopen and people return to work, many parents are wondering whether or not childcare will be available. As of now, it appears that many summer camps and daycare centers are choosing to postpone opening. However, if your child does need to attend a daycare here are some “Do’s” and “Don’ts” to remember:
| DO’s | DON’Ts |
|---|---|
| Consider childcare swaps with another family instead of daycare to minimize the number of contacts Find out what safety and physical distancing strategies your childcare facility has implemented (Check the CDC’s guidance for childcare programs) Teach your child about bathroom hygiene and practice hand washing at home so they can be as safe as possible at daycare. Pro tip: All it takes is a little oil and cinnamon to make a great hand washing lesson for children. Here’s how! Before arriving at the childcare center, monitor for symptoms and, if possible, take your and your child’s temperature. Keep in close contact with the daycare and other families to be aware of any illness that may be circulating. Parents should reduce contact with others during pick-ups and drop-offs and, if possible, stagger drop-off/pick-up times |
Do not bring your children to childcare if anyone in your home is feeling ill. Do not allow children under the age of 2 to wear a cloth face covering. Parents and children should avoid contact with frequently touched, public objects Parents and children should avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth. Parents should avoid very crowded childcare centers where physical distancing is not possible. Children and parents should avoid bringing toys and unnecessary objects to the childcare center. Grandparents, older adults, ill, or immune-compromised individuals should not drop off or pick up children from childcare if possible. |
If you are running a childcare program, view the CDC’s guidance for administrators of schools and childcare programs
2. Which COVID-19 Test Am I Getting?
There are two types of testing available for COVID-19: an antigen test (infection) and an antibody test (immune response). If you received a test at one of the “Testing Blitz” locations around the state on either May 2nd, May 8th, and May 16th, you received an antigen test to see whether or not you have an active infection of the virus.
Antibody tests on the other hand, are beginning to be administered at the University of Arizona, along with certain testing facilities across the state. As antibody tests become more available in the coming weeks, you might wonder
What is the difference between an antibody and an antigen?
- These two terms sound very similar, but they have key differences. An antigen is a molecule that is part of the virus. These are present in your body during an active infection, while antibodies are proteins present in your body after an illness. This means that antigens can tell us if you are sick right now, whereas antibodies take time for the body to make and can only tell us if you were exposed to the illness in the past.
- When you are exposed to a pathogen, such as the COVID-19 virus, your immune system works to fight off the illness by producing antibodies. These antibodies are proteins that can help defend your body from germs by creating an immune response to the pathogen you were exposed to. That means if you are exposed to the same (or very similar) pathogen in the future, your body is more likely to recognize it and respond quickly.
What is antibody testing?
- Antibody tests, also called serology tests, detect specific antibodies in the blood that are only made in response to a previous COVID-19 or similar coronavirus infection. These tests cannot diagnose COVID-19 in people, but rather show whether or not their body has been previously exposed to the virus. This is important because this gives an idea of how many people have had an exposure that led to an immune response to the virus.
3. Domestic Violence
With COVID-19 has come concern from around the country about the potential increase in domestic violence. Quarantine and social isolation have led to more time at home, and rising fears of illness, job loss, etc., have increased the stress and tension in many homes. From the National Domestic Violence Hotline, below is a list of common warning signs of an abusive or unhealthy relationship. Even one or two of these behaviors in a relationship can be a red flag. As the state is opening back up it may be easier to access help if you have been in a relationship with someone who…
- Tells you that you can never do anything right
- Shows extreme jealousy of your friends and time spent away
- Keeps you or discourages you from seeing friends or family members
- Insults, demeans or shames you with put-downs
- Controls every penny spent in the household
- Takes your money or refuses to give you money for necessary expenses
- Looks at you or acts in ways that scare you
- Controls who you see, where you go, or what you do
- Prevents you from making your own decisions
- Tells you that you are a bad parent or threatens to harm or take away your children
- Prevents you from working or attending school
- Destroys your property or threatens to hurt or kill your pets
- Intimidates you with guns, knives or other weapons
- Pressures you to have sex when you don’t want to or do things sexually you’re not comfortable with
- Pressures you to use drugs or alcohol
Call, text, or visit the websites of these services to learn more. Support is available in English and Spanish. And remember to call 911 if you, or someone you know, is in danger or in need of immediate assistance.
| Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Helpline | Call: (602) 279-2900 or (800) 782-6400 (available Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm) Visit: www.acesdv.org/helpline |
| National Domestic Violence Hotline | Call: (800) 799-SAFE (7233) (available 24/7) Text: LOVEIS to 22522 Visit: www.thehotline.org |
| Fresh Start Women’s Foundation | Call: (602) 252-8494 (available Mon-Thu 9am-7pm, Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-2pm) Visit: www.freshstartwomen.org/ |
| Chrysalis | Call: (602) 944-4999 (available 24/7) Visit: https://noabuse.org |
| More resources in your area | Visit: Domestic Violence Contracts Directory |
The next update will cover resources for COVID-19 and outdoor recreation. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to COVID-19 in Arizona, please complete next week’s AZCOVIDTXT survey that you will receive via text in about a week.