As public conversations around coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) increase, children may worry about themselves, their family, and friends getting ill with COVID-19. Parents, family members, school staff, and other trusted adults can play an important role in helping children make sense of what they hear in a way that is honest, accurate, and minimizes anxiety or fear. CDC has created guidance to help adults have conversations with children about COVID-19 and ways they can avoid getting and spreading the disease.
General Principles for Talking with Children:
Remain calm and reassuring - Remember that children will react to both what you say and how you say it. They will pick up cues from the conversations you have with them and with others.
Make yourself available to listen and to talk - Make time to talk. Be sure children know they can come to you when they have questions.
Avoid language that might blame others and lead to stigma - Remember that viruses can make anyone sick, regardless of a person’s race or ethnicity. Avoid making assumptions about who might have COVID-19.
Pay attention to what children see or hear on television, radio, or online - Consider reducing the amount of screen time focused on COVID-19. Too much information on one topic can lead to anxiety.
Provide information that is honest and accurate - Give children information that is truthful and appropriate for the age and developmental level of the child. Talk to children about how some stories on COVID-19 on the Internet and social media may be based on rumors and inaccurate information.
Teach children everyday actions to reduce the spread of germs - Remind children to stay away from people who are coughing or sneezing or sick. Remind them to cough or sneeze into a tissue or their elbow, then throw the tissue into the trash. Discuss any new actions that may be taken at school to help protect children. Get children into a handwashing habit.Teach them to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
Facts about COVID-19 for Discussions with Children:
Try to keep information simple and remind them that health and school officials are working hard to keep everyone safe and healthy.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is the short name for “coronavirus disease 2019.” It is a new virus. Doctors and scientists are still learning about it. Recently, this virus has made a lot of people sick. Scientists and doctors think that most people will be ok, especially kids, but some people might get pretty sick. Doctors and health experts are working hard to help people stay healthy.
What can I do so that I don’t get COVID-19?
You can practice healthy habits at home, school, and play to help protect against the spread of COVID-19: Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow. If you sneeze or cough into a tissue, throw it in the trash right away. Keep your hands out of your mouth, nose, and eyes. This will help keep germs out of your body. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Follow these five steps—wet, lather (make bubbles), scrub (rub together), rinse and dry. You can sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice. If you feel sick, stay home. Just like you don’t want to get other people’s germs in your body, other people don’t want to get your germs either.
What happens if you get sick with COVID-19?
COVID-19 can look different in different people. For many people, being sick with COVID-19 would be a little bit like having the flu. People can get a fever, cough, or have a hard time taking deep breaths. Most people who have gotten COVID-19 have not gotten very sick. Only a small group of people who get it have had more serious problems. From what doctors have seen so far, most children don’t seem to get very sick. While a lot of adults get sick, most adults get better.
If you do get sick, it doesn’t mean you have COVID-19. People can get sick from all kinds of germs. What’s important to remember is that if you do get sick, the adults at home and school will help get you any help that you need.
If you suspect your child may have COVID-19, call the healthcare facility to let them know before you bring your child in to see them.
Burroughs Resource List
Principal Ana Bartl 612-668-3280 Ana.Bartl@mpls.k12.mn.us
Social Worker Beth Alvarez 612-668-3282 Beth.alvarez@mpls.k12.mn.us
Social Worker Jessie Aamot 612-668-3280 jessica.aamot@mpls.k12.mn.us
Food
Food Available from 10am-2pm in bus at Green Central School and Lyndale School - student needs to be present to receive food
Websites that have updated information on food resources in Hennepin County:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1iq1H-dlkdzfJPs7E641tMHmPvWXPQfxf4DvcREOOzyA/htmlview
https://givemethemike.com/2020/03/15/a-growing-list-of-programs-and-restaurants-offering-food-to-families-in-minnesota/#Minneapolis
https://kstp.com/coronavirus/list-of-restaurants-offering-free-lunches-while-schools-are-cloased/5674954/?cat=12196
Housing
First Call for Help - 211 or 651-291-0211
Available 24 hours a day to provide information on a variety of resources in your area.
Shelter Hotline - 1-888-234-1329
Internet
Two months of free internet through Comcast. To sign up, visit www.internetessentials.com. The accessible website also includes the option to video chat with customer service agents in American Sign Language. There are also two dedicated phone numbers 1-855-846-8376 for English and 1-855-765-6995 for Spanish.
Hennepin County Mental Health Resources
To reach the mobile crisis team, call 612-348-2233.
They provide support when a child 17 years old and younger is in crisis. (For a crisis involving someone 18 or older, call 612-596-1223.) We will go where the child is located to provide a risk assessment, help to de-escalate crisis, develop a plan to keep the child safe at home, and offer resources and referrals. Telephone consultation and stabilization services are also available.
Call 911 if the child or someone else is in immediate physical danger.
Children who have serious and long-lasting mental health needs can receive mental health case management services to help them and their families navigate the mental health system. Mental health case managers help children and their families obtain and coordinate therapeutic and supportive services that address the child’s mental health issues and related social, recreational, health, educational, and vocational needs. Mental health case management services are provided by community agencies as well as county social workers.
To be eligible for mental health case management services, a child needs to have recently completed a diagnostic assessment and to be experiencing a "severe emotional disturbance," as determined by a mental health professional.
For assistance in obtaining mental health case management services, call 612-348-4111.
Crisis Text Line
https://www.crisistextline.org/
Text Home to 741741
Suicide Prevention Line
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
1-800-273-8255
Hennepin County Services: 612-348-2193
MPS Community Resources Guide:
https://multilingual.mpls.k12.mn.us/uploads/family_engagement_community_resource_guide_2.pdf
Hennepin County Resource List:
https://www.caphennepin.org/community-resources/
Hennepin County Youth Resource List:
https://www.hennepin.us/residents/human-services/resources-youth
Meal Distribution Sites
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
https://cws.mpls.k12.mn.us/COVID19
Andersen, 1098 Andersen Lane
Bethune, 919 Emerson Ave. N.
Cityview, 3350 4th St. N.
Edison, 700 - 22nd Ave. NE
Folwell, 3611 20th Ave. S.
Green Central, 3416 Fourth Ave. S.
Hall, 1601 Aldrich Ave. N.
Hmong International Academy, 1501 – 30th Ave. N.
Hale Elementary, 1220 E 54th St.
Jenny Lind, 5025 Bryant Ave. N.
Lake Nokomis – Keewaydin, 5209 – 30th Ave. S.
Lyndale, 312 W. 34th St.
Marcy Open, 415 Fourth Ave. SE
Northeast Middle, 2955 Hayes St. NE
Olson Middle, 1607 – 51st Ave. N.
Patrick Henry, 4320 Newton Ave. N.
Roosevelt, 4029 – 28th Ave. S.
Seward, 2309 – 28th Ave. S.
South High, 3131 - 19th Ave. S.
Windom Dual Immersion School, 5821 Wentworth Ave S.