Dubai, UAE, 30 August 2020:   Back-to-school season has well and truly arrived, bringing a few pressing questions along with it. The majority of these questions concern the health and safety of children set to return to the classroom for the first time since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. 

This back-to-school season, Carrefour UAE has added several health and safety products to its back-to-school offering. Comprised of a face mask, a bottle of sanitiser and a pack of antibacterial wipes, the brand’s all-new Hygiene Kit is one of the stand-out additions. 

Philippe Peguilhan, Carrefour UAE Country Manager at Majid Al Futtaim Retail, describes the kit as “a must for the new academic year”. “It offers parents peace of mind,” he says, “reassuring them that their children will be well-equipped with quality sanitary supplies to stay clean and healthy when they return to the classroom.”   

In addition to the kit, Carrefour has compiled a short list of easy-to-remember health and safety tricks to help parents and guardians get their children ready for the new school year. 

1. Mask on 

Masks are a must. The Ministry of Education and Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) have already made it plainly clear that all students are required to wear masks when they return to school. Parents should encourage mask-wearing, educating their children on how to put — and keep — them on.  

2. Meals to go

Parents should still prioritise making home-cooked lunches for their kids to take to school. Doing so limits the likelihood of children eating anything that might have come in contact with contaminated surfaces or touchpoints. 

3. Good social distancing etiquette

It is important that parents remind their children about good social distancing etiquette. This includes avoiding handshakes and hugs. Parents should also encourage children to cover their mouths and noses with a tissue when they cough or sneeze, safely disposing of any used tissues in a designated trash can.  Children should also be taught to cough or sneeze into their elbows.

4. Sanitiser stash

Parents should consider stowing a bottle of hand sanitiser in students’ backpacks, reminding them of how handy and effective these products are at eliminating germs. Students should wash their hands regularly, throughout the course of the school day, cleaning their hands with sanitiser after each wash. 

5. Labelling away

Parents can also safeguard the health and wellbeing of their children by clearly labelling their belongings — including backpacks and lunchboxes — with their names. This helps students to easily identify their school supplies, and ensure that they do not inadvertently share any items or products that might compromise their health.    

Every year, Carrefour celebrates back-to-school season. In addition to introducing a Hygiene Kit to its range, Carrefour is also offering customers a 50% discount on all back-to-school items. This promotion joins the brand’s ongoing efforts to support families and communities across the region to overcome the challenges posed by the coronavirus.