“Human and social aspect of CorOnavirus COVID-19”

We have all heard about the new coronavirus (COVID-19), a situation that has the world on alert, we as an educational community are not the exception, however, as the Director General of the World Organization of the United States expressed a few days ago, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Not only is fighting an epidemic but also an “infodemic”.

Do you already know what we mean? We invite you to read the following article of interest for our entire educational community.

"Infodemia", a relatively new word that has been mentioned in the wake of the new strain of coronavirus COVID-19, as the WHO explains, comes from the English voice "infodemic" and refers to the existence of information, that in the context of this global emergency, it is inaccurate or false. It is with this other “epidemic of harmful rumors” that you also have to fight to protect the integrity and basic human rights of communities that are being violated, these rumors are very dangerous, because it can damage and hurt the social fabric, by promote hostile attitudes and behavior towards certain people.

That is why we believe it is important to provide you with basic information about this world situation, which is attached to the official website of the World Health Organization, hoping that this will contribute to fighting rumors and misinformation within our student community and maintain the good and healthy coexistence between all of them.

To start, it is essential to mention that according to the latest WHO OFFICIAL report, dated February 16, 2020, in the Americas region, there are no confirmed cases in any state of our country (Mexico).

Regarding the mechanism of contagion, on the same page of the WHO, they may delve into the information, but in general it can be noted that the new coronavirus spreads mainly through the drops that are generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through secretions from the nose. But these droplets are too heavy to spread over long distances, so it will be enough for you to talk with your children, about keeping a distance from others, about one meter, when you feel you are coughing or sneezing and it will be very helpful that you also I explained, that if you notice that someone is taking distance from him or her, it is not bad, it is only a precaution not to catch a respiratory infection.

This leads us to the following suggestion, which is to remind you, to adopt respiratory hygiene measures when coughing or sneezing published by the World Health Organization. Help us at home, teaching your children the right way to cover their mouth and nose with their elbow flexed or with a tissue and immediately afterwards, wash their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based disinfectant, this will prevent spread of germs and viruses. Within the school there is a disinfectant, but additionally, you can send your prepared child with a small container of antibacterial gel.

Keep up to date and follow the recommendations, information and preventive measures requested from the nursing area of the School and if you find that your child has respiratory symptoms, do not send him to school, follow the respiratory and hand hygiene measures before mentioned, as well as the recommendations of your doctor or health center.

As a last point, beyond the epidemiological information and very important in the human part of these global crises, to combat this new epidemic, as citizens we also have to be responsible for the information we disseminate and guide us for solidarity and not for stigma, which is the product of ignorance and misinformation. Therefore, we invite you to consult reliable and official sources such as the World Health Organization website (https://www.who.int/es) where you can get more recommendations, clarifications and news about it.

In this same sense, the final suggestion is that we take care of what we speak in front of our children, because we can spread irrational fears and unnecessary attitudes that hurt other classmates. Let's look for solutions together, join forces with health authorities and act in a rational and supportive way. Diseases do not understand walls, it is not we who put them into daily living.

If you have more questions or suggestions, approach your section director.

Psic. Alejandra Morales Arroyo

Program ISQ Safe.

Preventive guidelines