Back-to-school brings surge of common colds — parents

AMMAN — The coronavirus-induced isolation led to a surge in common colds among children after they returned to schools, according to parents.

On Monday, Mohammad Bilal, a Jordanian general physician said: “After children return to school after almost a year and a half of online classes, they might catch viral infections like common colds during which they usually experience a sore throat, runny nose and sneezing.” 

Proper hand-washing and sanitising are important to prevent the spread of viruses, according to Bilal, who pointed out that it is also important for parents to stay up to date on their children’s health conditions.

“During autumn and winter I feel like my children are constantly ill,” said Um Saleh, a mother of two school-age kids. 

She added that she does her best to keep her children safe, but during this back-to-school period she has been to her kids’ paediatrician more than ever.

Nada Omar, a Jordanian mother of two, told The Jordan Times that she reinforced her daily safety precautions to keep her kids from getting sick after they resumed in-person classes because most of their friends have cold-like symptoms.

“Microbial exposure is needed to shape immunity, in order to better recognise pathogens. Children staying home for a long period may have made them more susceptible to illnesses and limited the development of certain aspects of their immune systems,” Sana Said, a Jordanian pharmacist, told The Jordan Times over the phone.

Said also noted that “when people are repeatedly exposed to the same microbes, their bodies will fight and tolerate sickness better.”

Sufficient nutrition along with physical activity and natural vitamin intake are essential for a strong immunity, said Said, adding that parents should not give medicine and vitamins without medical supervision.