The new back-to-school basics: COVID-19 hygiene education for elementary students.

Context: In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic- with undulating statistics of new cases and deaths and with schools set to reopen in the fall of 2020 after a long hiatus- the objective was to address the needs and methods of preparing children for a safe return to school. Objective: To educate 1st - 5th grade elementary school children about proper health and safety precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study Design and Setting: Three monthly virtual sessions via zoom were implemented with focuses on hygiene, physical activity, and healthy coping mechanisms during a pandemic. The hygiene lecture included interactive demonstrations on handwashing, coughing/sneezing precautions, and appropriate mask-wearing behavior. During the coping mechanisms session, children were asked to use art or free text to answer the question "How has COVID-19 changed my feelings?" The physical activity session discussed safe ways for children to stay active during the pandemic. Both quantitative (pre and post-knowledge assessment quizzes) and qualitative (free text, drawings) data were collected through electronic surveys. Quizzes were designed for the appropriate grade level and used a combination of multiple choice, free text, checkboxes, and pictures to address common themes. Population studied and Intervention: School-aged children (1st-5th grade) at the Raindrop Foundation of San Antonio participated in educational sessions about maintaining proper COVID-19 hygiene. Outcome Measures and Results: Final results show six 1st - 2nd graders and nine 3rd - 5th graders consistently participated in the project. The children involved could identify proper mask-wearing etiquette, safe coughing habits, and when and how to wash their hands. Emotions reported were both positive (ex. happy) and negative (ex. Sad, bored). Reported activities were indoor electronic games and work. Children reported missing friends and going to parks. Conclusions: These educational sessions were organized to teach children safe practices for their return to school, develop coping skills, and also help them adapt to physical activity while maintaining social distancing. Participant 1st - 5th graders answered most questions correctly and displayed the basics of COVID-19 safety knowledge. The children surveyed are experiencing mixed emotions during the pandemic due to feelings of social isolation.

An Investigation of the Impact of COVID-19 on Food Access and Security in Bexar County: A Mixed Methods Approach.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of COVID-19 on food access and security in Bexar County, located within San Antonio, TX. METHODS: To assess food insecurity levels and severity, we distributed a 10-min Qualtrics survey to San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB) clients. The survey was distributed between 19 October 2020 and 24 May 2021. Twenty-four survey respondents also participated in virtual focus group sessions over Zoom. Seven virtual focus group interviews were held between 15 January 2021 and 5 March 2021. RESULTS: Survey results revealed that following COVID-19, 20.2% of SAFB clients were newly food insecure. 31.3% of survey respondents reported reduced wages and 28.8% reported job loss. Households experiencing job disruption from COVID-19 were 7 times at greater odds of being food insecure (OR 7.05; 95% CI, 1.61-30.88), as compared to those with stable employment. Major subthemes across focus group interviews included "excessive amounts of a single food item distributed," "long wait times for food," and "not receiving the type of food needed." CONCLUSIONS: Our study found evidence to support early studies' findings that COVID-19 has negatively impacted food security for many Americans. 70% of all unique Bexar County zip codes appeared in our survey analysis. Even beyond COVID-19's effect on food security, many other major societal changes were identified such as the increased reliance on technology, decreased in-person social gatherings, and greater mental health needs.