Toddler transmitters - the new super spreaders
, by AussiePharmaDirect, 3 min reading time
Socialisation and play are an important part of a child’s development, but as any parent of a toddler can tell you, they catch lots of infections while their immune system learns how to deal with various germs it comes into contact with in playgrounds, day care, schools and while playing with shared toys.
And with Covid raging across New South Wales and making inroads in Victoria and the ACT, young children are emerging as the new super spreaders of the disease, passing it onto their families and friends.
Emerging evidence suggests Delta sheds 1000 times more virus than Alpha, and less virus is needed to transmit it, making it twice as infectious. Previous variants needed longer and more consistent exposure to transmit to a child, but the Delta variant needs only fleeting exposure to gain a foothold.
A study by researchers from Public Health Ontario, published in JAMA Pediatrics, found that infants and toddlers up to the age of three were about 43 per cent more likely than older teens to spread it to others in the home.
The study, entitled ‘Association of Age and Pediatric Household Transmission of SARS-COV-2 Infection’, found that children aged zero to three years had 1.43 greater odds of transmitting the virus to household contacts than did teens aged 14-17.
...So, here are some tips to protect your child and your family from Covid
- Vaccination of eligible household members is the first step in your personal ‘ring of steel’
- Maintain social distancing
- Follow government guidelines
- Maintain hand hygiene by washing hands regularly or using a child friendly, alcohol free hand sanitiser which can still kill 99.99% germs & bacteria
- Kill Covid on surfaces with a hospital grade disinfectant such as ViroCLEAR
- When wiping your child's nose, make sure you wash or sanitise your hands after
- Don't share food eg. finishing off your child's meal, sharing same packet of chips etc
- Have good ventilation. Air purifiers with a Hepa grade filter can assist.
- Wear face masks when out and about.
Stop Covid in its tracks with ViroCLEAR
An essential tool in your armour is ViroCLEAR – an all Australian made and owned ARTG listed disinfectant that kills Covid within 90 seconds of surface contact.
Most disinfectants are heavily chemically laden, but ViroCLEAR is powered by botanical extracts of native lemon bush and chamomile. which combined with just 0.12 per cent of benzalkonium chloride (about the same amount used in contact lens cleaning solution and five to 50 times less active ingredient than other disinfectants), gives it its super killing power.
It has also been laboratory tested to kill 99.99 per cent of germs and bacteria for complete peace of mind.
And best of all, it is non-flammable, alcohol free and safe to use around children.
Wear the best possible face mask, as not all face masks are created equal.
The Australian made AMD P2 Nano-Tech Respirator is in a class of its own. Unlike other masks available in Australia, these masks are made from cutting-edge nanotechnology which makes them light and breathable.
The four layered, tightly woven nano-fibre filter captures ≥99.66 per cent of airborne particles like viruses and bacteria, as compared to approximately 60 per cent for many imported masks.
Trusted by medical professionals worldwide, the AMD P2 mask can be worn for up to 24 hours, lasting up to six times longer than any other disposable mask, resulting in significantly less landfill.
Take back control
Toddler wrangling can be tricky at the best of times, but with the combination of vaccination, social distancing, high quality face masks and ViroCLEAR, you can take back some level of control and minimise the risk of infection for you and your loved ones.