Since the global outbreak of COVID-19, governments around the world have put restrictions on outdoor play equipment. The world today is still in the grip of the pandemic. In response to changing covid-19 dynamics, we have adopted regular prevention and control measures in a timely manner. More and more countries have chosen to ease the curbs, including the reopening of outdoor playgrounds.
With long periods of quarantine at home, parents may worry about the influence of quarantine on their kids’ physical and mental health. Many parents might ask when will outdoor playgrounds open, if you want to know, keep reading below.
Outdoor playgrounds are now open in Ohio. The parks officially opened from June 10, 2020, along with movie theaters, museums, and public recreation centers.
After being blocked from slides and swings for six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, kids can now use any outdoor playground regardless of what tier their county falls in from September 30, 2020 at 10:12 AM PDT, according to new state guidelines.
Since we could take children to these public recreation centers, what should we parents and playground operators do to protect children’s safety and health?
Preparations Parents should make before going to the Playgrounds
We need to do something to reduce the potential risk in outdoor places.
Kids should wear masks properly
Prepare a mask (preferably a medical surgical mask). Pay attention to choosing a children's mask. Make the upper end of the mask close to the bridge of the nose. The mask should wrap the child's mouth and nose, and pay attention to air leakage. After wearing the mask, parents should ask and check the child's breathing at any time. If the child feels unwell, they should adjust it in time. The masks worn by children should be replaced in time, and it is not recommended to reuse disposable masks. Don't go out for too long. There are many people in contact outside, the risk of being infected will increase, and masks that have been used for more than four hours have limited protection after being wet.
Items should be prepared before going out, we need disinfection supplies before taking the children out. In addition to the daily necessary items, you can carry spare masks, disinfecting tissues and other disinfection supplies with you, and disinfect them in time after the child touches the outside world. We also need to prepare food preservation bags for safety. Keep water cups, food, etc. in fresh-keeping bags when take children go out. Parents must teach their children how to wash their hands properly.
Children do not need to be particularly tangled in clothes when they go out, but make sure to keep their clothes warm and comfortable!
Ensuring a outdoor playground is COVID free
Playground owners and operators should keep staff safe, do a good job in employee health monitoring and daily playgrounds disinfection.
Public toilet provision
It is required that public toilets in the outdoor playgrounds should be disinfected every two hours during the epidemic, and toilet paper, hand sanitizer or soap must be provided to citizens. The toilet paper must be cleaned in time. Some outdoor recreational places stipulate that the interior of public toilets should be fully flushed at least once a day, and the urinals, squatting pans, flush buttons, and faucets should be fully sprayed and disinfected twice a day. Frequently used parts such as doorknobs, toilet paper baskets, etc. should be cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis, so that there is no dead angle in disinfection, and the external environment such as toilet sewers, external walls, and septic tanks should be disinfected. Internal open toilets with low traffic flow and public toilets with low frequency of use shall follow the principle of giving priority to epidemic prevention, and implement classified policies.
Keeping staff safe
1.Do well in employee health monitoring.
(1)Staff should carry out self-health monitoring and temperature monitoring at home before going to work every day. If there is any abnormality, they must report to the person in charge of their unit in time, and check the nearest fever clinic, and wear masks throughout the process of going out to see a doctor.
(2)Commuting. It is recommended to travel on foot, bicycle, electric vehicle or private car. If you take public transportation, keep a distance from strangers on the way.
(3)Try not to touch the facilities in the car and keep a distance of more than 1 meter from others. After touching public facilities , hands should be cleaned in time, and if you are not sure whether your hands are hygienic, avoid contact with eyes, mouth, nose and wash hands or disinfect hands in time
(4)Staff should wear masks throughout the day and at all times, and keep a distance of more than 1 meter at all times. Keep indoor air circulation. Ventilate 2 to 3 times a day for no less than 30 minutes each time; pay attention to personal hygiene, cover sneezing or coughing with tissue, sleeves, etc., and wash hands with running water and hand sanitizer immediately after contact with respiratory secretions. Insist on washing your hands strictly according to the seven-step method before eating and after using the toilet.
When you and kids come back home
Disinfect carefully when you go home. You should first take off your clothes and change your shoes, and clean the exposed skin. After hand disinfection and washing hands, parents must check whether the children are thoroughly rinsed, and then dry their hands with a clean towel or paper towel. If the child cooperates, rinse the nose and rinse the mouth. Clothes worn when going out should be disinfected with alcohol or hung in a ventilated place. If they are suspected of being contaminated with viruses or foreign objects, they should be cleaned and disinfected in time.