Your mom and dad have had their COVID-19 shot.

They’re ready to get back out and do things they’ve been unable to do for the past year. You’re a little more hesitant. As the restrictions are lifted, what can your parents do? What shouldn’t they do? Isn’t it still important for them to keep wearing their mask when they’re around others?

Effectiveness of the Vaccine

One thing that’s important to remember is that the vaccine offers protection against the virus, but it’s not guaranteed to be fully protective. If your parents do get COVID-19, the symptoms should be less severe. The vaccine is not 100% effective. Few vaccines are 100% effective. They still need to be careful around others.

Use Care When Gathering

Your parents want to gather, and they should. They need to be careful, though. Instead of attending a big gathering with strangers, they should socialize with others who are taking precautions to avoid the virus.

A family picnic together in the open air where people can spread out is a great idea. Everyone can bring a dish. That prevents others from needing to cook multiple dishes to make sure people have enough food. If someone doesn’t want to cook, they could buy ice for the coolers that will hold the drinks.

Masks Helped Lower the Cases of the Flu and Common Colds

Another thing to consider is how effective mask-wearing was for COVID-19. In a typical year, there are flu cases across the U.S. Mask wearing and social distancing dropped the number of lab-tested positive cases to a total of 1,814 as of May 2021. The 2019/2020 flu season that happened before the pandemic had approximately 38 million estimated cases.

Wearing a mask is simple and made a big difference in spreading viruses that have hit people hard in the past. It’s not a bad idea for your parents to keep wearing their masks when they go shopping or are in a crowded public place.

Keep Washing Hands

Your parents also need to keep washing their hands. It’s a good practice to continue. It stops the spread of germs and can help them avoid viruses, bacterial infections, and foodborne illnesses.

When they wash their hands, they should suds their hands for a full 30 seconds before rinsing their hands. Air drying is best, but they could dry their hands with a clean towel if they prefer using a towel.

Stay Home When You’re Sick

When you’re sick, stay home. Even if you’re the family caregiver and they rely on you, you need to stay home to stop the spread. Talk to a senior care agency about respite care services. While you’re at home getting over the flu or another virus, your parents have the help they need from trained senior care aides. Call to learn more.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Senior Care in Medford, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. at 1-800-493-5660

Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm#ILIActivityMap
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/past-seasons.html