Planning To Reopen - Child Care, Preparedness and Planning

5/15/2020 (Permalink)

During his Thursday press conference Governor Charlie Baker set new targets for the expansion of coronavirus testing capacity in Massachusetts but fell short of calling for universal testing as part of the plan. He still did not shed any light on which industries will be "green lighted" come Monday. What we do know is that schools will not be. So, as we head back to work the need for safe child care options are paramount. 

To help our communities ramp up their ability to meet these growing needs we will be focusing on guidelines for safely opening child care programs.

General Preparedness and Planning

According to the CDC, no matter the level of transmission in a community, every child care program should have a plan in place to protect staff, children, and their families from the spread of COVID-19. As you think about how your facility will deal with the impact of COVID-19, it is important to work with your local health officials, school districts, child care licensing boards/bodies, child care accreditation bodies, health consultants, and other community partners to determine the most appropriate plan and action. 

Prevent the Spread of COVID-19

Plan ahead to ensure adequate supplies to support hand hygiene behaviors and routine cleaning of objects and surfaces. If you have difficulty in obtaining these supplies, please contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Agency to learn more about service organizations in your community who may have additional resources. Your local CCR&R Agency can be found under “Resources” at Child Care Aware of America.

Encourage staff to take everyday preventive actions to prevent the spread of respiratory illness.

• Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
• Remember to supervise young children when they use hand sanitizer to prevent swallowing alcohol.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
• Cover cough and sneezes.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face covering when you have to go out in public.
• Cloth face coverings should NOT be put on babies and children under age two because of the danger of suffocation.

Require sick children and staff to stay home

No matter the symptoms or their severity these difficult times require a steadfast and unwavering response to potential contagion. Evidence suggests that COVID-19 manifests itself differently case-by-case therefore extreme caution must be taken in any case of potential illness. This will require educating your staff and clientele. Unfortunately, this may also necessitate the refusal of admission to those, staff and clients, showing signs of illness.

• Communicate to parents the importance of keeping children home when they are sick.
• Communicate to staff the importance of being vigilant for symptoms and staying in touch with facility management if or when they start to feel sick.
• Establish procedures to ensure children and staff who come to the child care center sick or become sick while at your facility are sent home as soon as possible.
• Keep sick children and staff separate from well children and staff until they can be sent home.
• Sick staff members should not return to work until they have met the criteria to discontinue home isolation.

We will continue to share with you guidance from the CDC, FDA, OSHA and the Governor's office to follow as we prepare for reopening. Also, we at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley know that not every business has access to the resources necessary to meet these strict guidelines. For those businesses, we are here to help!

Specialized Training

The Disaster Remediation Teams at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley are specialists in cleaning services and we adhere to the highest cleaning and sanitation standards. We are prepared to clean and disinfect your home or business, according to protocols set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We have years of experience in dealing with biological contaminants, and we will go beyond the scope of work of "normal daily cleaning". Call SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley today for a free consultation - (617) 332-9000.

All of us here at SERVPRO of Newton/Wellesley want you and your loved ones to stay safe and know that we will make it through this together! Rest assured, we will continue to do our best to keep you up-to-date and informed!