Cover Your Coughs And Sneezes The Right Way! A Resource For Teachers
Cover your Coughs and Sneezes
the Right Way! A resource for teachers
Although they are very tiny and can only be seen with a
microscope, germs can cause big problems during cold and
flu season. Stopping the germs from spreading from child to
child and causing illness can be frustrating for daycare staff
looking for ways to break the cycle.
The goal of this fact sheet is to
• Cleaning hands after
A “Cover Your Coughs and
highlight an important infection
coughing or sneezing, either
Sneezes” poster is also
prevention strategy – respira-
by washing with soap and
available from the Health Unit
tory etiquette. In the past,
warm water or by using an
for posting and distributing.
children were taught to cover
alcohol-based hand cleaner.
Visit tbdhu.com/id to download
their coughs and sneezes by
a copy or call your Health
using their hands. If their hands
helping students learn
Promoting School Nurse.
were not washed or cleaned
the CorreCt teChnique
right away, their germs were
Often, a tissue is not available.
2. demonstrate improper and
transferred to other surfaces
So, the following activities are
proper technique and explain
and could be then passed on.
offered to assist teachers and
the difference.
their students to learn proper
Today, we know the correct way
With the students watching,
respiratory etiquette by cover-
to prevent the spread of illness-
some show incorrect technique
ing their coughs and sneezes
causing germs is by covering
(e.g. coughing into their hands)
with their upper sleeve.
coughs and sneezes using a
and then the correct technique.
tissue or the upper sleeve.
Discuss with the students why
1. review the proper
some examples trap germs
CorreCt teChnique
technique.
(e.g. tissue and sleeve) and
Correct respiratory etiquette
Teachers can familiarize
others spread germs
involves:
themselves with the correct
(e.g. hands).
• Covering the mouth and
technique by watching the
nose with a tissue when
video “Why Don’t We Do it in
See reverse for more information.
coughing or sneezing.
Our Sleeves?” from
• Putting all used tissues in
OtoRhinoLounsburgology
the waste basket/garbage
Productions (2006). This
right away.
video can be borrowed from
• Coughing or sneezing into
the Health Unit’s library or
the upper sleeve, not the
viewed online at
hands, if a tissue is not
coughsafe.com/media.html
available.
Cover your Coughs and Sneezes
the Right Way! A resource for teachers
3. have the students practice
4. reinforce by modelling the
It is important to teach proper
proper technique.
correct technique.
techniques early in life so
The children can then take turns
Teachers can model the correct
children will learn and continue
practicing their technique by
technique as a way to reinforce
to use these techniques that will
coughing and sneezing into
behaviour.
prevent and control the spread
their upper sleeves. Teachers
of infections. Teachers can
A fact sheet for parents is
may want to hold a “Do it in
provide a supportive
available so they can also learn
Your Sleeve”contest as shown
environment to learn and
and model the correct
in the video. The students can
reinforce these important
technique at home. Visit
be judged on their technique
health behaviours.
tbdhu.com/id to download a
and the teacher can provide
copy, or call your Health
feedback when needed.
Promoting School Nurse.
Cover your mouth,
For younger children the
cover your nose.
activity can be reinforced
5. Monitor and provide positive
Use a clean tissue
during circle time by using
reinforcement.
for all your blows!
songs. Here is an example sung
Staff can reward individual
No tissue in sight?
to the tune of “Frère Jacques”:
children by giving stickers to
Don’t despair.
Are you coughing?
those caught covering a cough
Use your sleeve to keep
Are you sneezing?
or sneeze. The activity can be
germs out of the air!
Cover your mouth.
adapted into a non-competi-
tive, group activity by posting
Cover your nose.
a wall chart and collectively
Germs are always flying.
recording every child caught
Germs are always flying.
doing it the right way.
Use your sleeve.
Use your sleeve.
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