Be Safe! This Contagious Disease is Going Around Schools in WA

There's nothing worse than having a sick child. Seeing them in agony and knowing there's not much you can do to help. You'd take it away from them if you could.

I mean, they could still give it to you but then you'd both have it so that's no fun.

This is that time of year where your kids could get getting something called coxsackievirus.

Yeah, with a name like coxsackievirus you know it's not gonna be fun.

What is coxsackievirus?

You probably know it best as Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease.

From washcohealth.org:
Anyone can get hand, foot, and mouth disease
Young children are primarily affected, but it may be seen in adults. Most cases occur in the summer and early fall. Outbreaks may occur among groups of children especially in child care centers or nursery schools. Symptoms usually appear 3 to 5 days after exposure.

There's plenty of ways to contact this disease from respiratory to handling items that other people who are sick were touching.

So many hands-on activities for kids with the playground at recess, touching door knobs or just playing in general make this a very easy virus to come in contact with at schools.

And not just children, too. Adults are prone to get Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease as well.

Best way to prevent is keep your hands clean. Wash your hands, protect your cough and sneezes, wash items that children touch regularly like toys, and keep your distance, best you can.