Covering a Cough or Sneeze

Safety

Hands are washed with soap and water after using a tissue or covering with the hands, following CDC guidance.
The trash can has a lid and opens without the hands where licensing requires it, and it does not pinch fingers when the lid closes.

1
Cover your own coughs and sneezes in front of the children every time, and say what you did: 'I sneezed into my elbow.'
2
For the lesson, sit with one or two children in front of the low mirror.
3
Say 'Ah… ah…' slowly and turn your head away from the children. Lift your elbow and cover your nose and mouth with the inside of it.
4
Say 'Choo!' into your elbow. Lower your arm. Turning away and covering is the point of interest.
5
Invite the child to do a pretend sneeze into their elbow while looking in the mirror.
6
On another day, show the tissue: take one, cover your nose and mouth, pretend to cough, put the tissue in the trash can, and wash hands at the sink.
7
When a child coughs or sneezes during the day, say: 'Elbow,' and lift your own elbow. Help them wash hands if they used their hands or a tissue.

Droplets on the hand, the mirror, or the table show the cough was not covered; a tissue left on the table shows it was not thrown away.

Turns the head away and covers a cough or sneeze with the elbow or a tissue some of the time without a reminder
Puts a used tissue in the trash can
Goes to wash hands after using a tissue, with a reminder