First, Are Daycares Open During COVID??
The short answer is: yes. And some daycare centers never closed. They remained open for children of doctors and nurses, grocery store clerks, postal workers, and more — countless frontline and essential employees who couldn’t just press “pause” on their work.
Many of the daycare centers that did close during COVID have long since reopened their doors, with enhanced health and safety protocols in place.
How Are Daycare Centers Keeping Kids Safe?
Every daycare center handles its policies a bit differently, but all should follow CDC, state, and local rules, regulations, and guidelines.
At Bright Horizons, for example, enhanced health and safety protocols across all centers and facilities include — but aren’t limited to — mandatory face coverings for all adults, daily health screenings, more frequent disinfecting and sanitizing, and more.
Plus, each of our daycare centers has a dedicated health & safety director on site to support families, children, and staff and to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Finding daycare that’s safe — even as the pandemic continues — is possible for working parents nationwide.
What Else Are Daycares Doing to Limit the Spread of COVID?
Check with all of the child care providers you’re considering to ensure they’re taking health, safety, and COVID prevention seriously. Here are some things to look for:
- Disinfecting and Sanitizing: How do they keep surfaces clean? Consider meal, nap, classroom, and bathroom/diaper areas, as well as the playground. How do they remove disinfectants from toys before toddlers and babies play with them again?
- Daily Health Screenings: Prior to coming into the center each day, parents should respond to a questionnaire regarding concerning symptoms (cough, fever above 100.4, and more) for their children and themselves. If someone is experiencing symptoms, they should be excluded from the center until they’re cleared to return. This policy should extend to all center staff members, too.
- Testing and Quarantining: Does anyone with COVID-19 symptoms have to get tested? What happens if someone tests positive — how long are they required to stay home before they can return to the center?
- Visits: Does the center offer virtual visits for potential new families and special guests to limit the number of individuals entering the facility? Keeping “outside” visitors out of the center is a big plus!
