Got Coronavirus Anxiety?

You're not alone if you're feeling nervous or stressed about COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus. The Governor of North Carolina declared a State of Emergency yesterday. You can't turn on the television or radio without hearing about Coronavirus. Visiting the hand sanitizer or disinfecting wipes section of your local grocery store may reveal lots of empty shelves.

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools has added an "Information on Coronavirus" page to our District website. You'll find resources in both Spanish and English to help parents talk with their children about Coronavirus. There are also links to trusted websites and guidelines for prevention. In addition to those resources, NPR recently posted "A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus." Here is an excerpt from that comic:

This kid-friendly explanation of the Coronavirus became so popular that NPR posted an updated article sharing that it had been translated into several other languages, including Chinese, Spanish and Braille. Malaka Gharib provided a foldable "zine" version of the comic that has been shared on Twitter.


NPR noted that librarians have been printing and folding these comics and putting them in the children's section at their libraries, which we think is a great idea. We also love this Tweet from middle school teacher Amber Amstutz who used the NPR comic as part of a lesson on hand washing with her students:


The advice in this comic aligns with the recommendations from the CDC and those listed on our District website:

* Wash your hands thoroughly and often
* Cover your sneezes/coughs
* Avoid touching your face
* Clean/sanitize surfaces regularly

Student Services would add one additional recommendation:

* Don't panic

Children are perceptive. If they see adults who are very stressed about the Coronavirus, they will certainly pick up on that, which could increase the child's own fears and anxiety. This handout from the National Association of School Psychologists provides additional guidelines for talking with children about the Coronavirus. 

For even more information on having these conversations with your child and helping them cope with their anxieties, check out "Coronavirus: Providing Reassurance for Your Child," a guest post for Triad Moms on Main written by two of our very own W-S/FCS School Psychologists, Angela Smith and Meredith Shaw. 

If your child is experiencing elevated levels of anxiety, please let your school counselor, social worker, school nurse or school psychologist know. We are here to provide support during this stressful time.

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