COVID-19 Q&A with BSK Health Expert Kate Rybak (and what we're doing to keep you healthy)
When did you first hear about COVID-19?
I have been monitoring this virus for a couple months now through my Neurobiology capstone class. In January, I was looking at Science Daily for different techniques for how to combat viruses, and we started talking about two different kind of bats. That's what sparked my interest. I started looking up on the internet what distinguishes them from other animals, and this article came up about people eating live bats. Then it started becoming more prominent, and we learned that people had contracted this virus.
What should we tell kids about COVID-19?
We had a seminar recently about the virus in general. We've been explaining to young kids that it's like a heavy flu. Make sure to always wash your hands (of course) in order to clean germs away. Also, although we love to share, the virus is spread through saliva through an open nose or mouth, so cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. Also, be cautious and don't share food or drinks. Those items are for you, and sharing could spread germs easily to you or other people.
Where did COVID-19 Come From?
The way it came about was because of a market of people trying to eat exotic animals because they thought it would provide immunity or act like a health cleanse. These were animals that humans don't normally eat, like live bats! The virus was then spread by people traveling and not being sanitary.
Blue Sky Kids are always looking to learn. What can kids learn from COVID-19?
What we can learn is to be more aware of what we do as individual people and as a community. Everyone's immune system is different, so we must be extra cautious. The virus can persist in environments of varying temperatures. When you have the flu, you immediately make the house colder, because the flu cannot survive in cold temperatures. Scientists are asking questions such as what temperatures does this new virus need to survive? We also can think about the animals who originally had this virus and look at where they live, compared to where we live.
What's happening now?
Doctors are trying to make a medication or a blocker to stop this virus from persisting, but we need to see within the next couple of weeks where the virus will be settled geographically, and then we can develop a guideline as to how to proceed. Right now, a hotspot is New York, because it's a commuter state. We haven't heard much from Philadelphia or Connecticut, and that information will be forthcoming.
What are other questions researchers have about COVID-19?
Some questions for further research would be: Where is this headed and why? Why is this bacteria continuously surviving? What are environmental factors that might affect the virus, not just our bodies. Why is it being contracted in the air? Where is it more likely to just drop?
For more information on the origin of COVID-19, visit:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/03/05/asia/china-coronavirus-wildlife-consumption-ban-intl-hnk/index.html
More About the Expert:
Kate is a recent graduate of Sacred Heart University, with a major in Neuroscience and Chemistry. She plans to attend medical school shortly, but is currently completing research at the university on biomedical prosthetics for Parkisonian tremors as well as child development (focusing on cognitive development relating to breastfeeding). She is also completing altruism research on brain activation of people trying to reach an unbiased judgment. She is also tri-lingual (fluent in Spanish and Polish) and teaches Sunday School. She is an expert with Blue Sky Kids, working with children one-on-one in Operation Pre-Med sessions and available for YOU-nique customized sessions about medicine and anatomy.
Blue Sky Kids Operation Pre-Med Sessions:
Get ready to explore the great game of “Operation” in learning about human anatomy and physiology. You will learn about structure and function of areas within the body and the brain with games and tasks that bring medicine to life! For those interested in medicine, physical therapy, or the brain and general anatomy!
What We’re Doing to Keep You Healthy:
The health and wellness of our Blue Sky families, experts and the community at large is our top priority during this time of great concern. We have implemented the following practices into our routines:
1. We now ask that all experts wash their hands thoroughly following CDC guidelines immediately upon arrival to homes for scheduled sessions.
2. Any shared materials provided by the expert will be disinfected thoroughly with antibacterial wipes between sessions.
3. While what we know about the Corona Virus at this point is limited, almost all people getting the virus start with a fever. Many get a dry cough and on the 4th-5th day may become short of breath, but the fever seems to be the biggest and first indication. So, to keep everyone healthy, we ask that any family or expert who has had a fever within 48 hours of a scheduled session please notify us immediately to cancel the session. There will be no penalty for cancellations of this nature.
Engaging Children With Schools Closed
Of course, Blue Sky Kids is following all recommendations by local, state, and federal departments of Health and will modify any practices accordingly. The advice has been to limit large gatherings of people, and schools have begun to close in order to contain the spread.
There is no indication that one-on-one sessions between healthy individuals is a concern. To that end, all current Blue Sky sessions will take place as scheduled.
In fact, one-on-one instructional BSK sessions in the home may be a wonderful way to keep children engaged and learning during time off from school.