During the time of COVID-19 we will be taking extra steps to maintain safe and healthy environment for children and staff. 

 

Daily health check

 

            Daily health check is a tool to use to reduce the risk of a person attending a childcare setting when potentially infectious (i.e., children, staff, parents, caregivers, children, or the other adults). A check list to conduct a daily health check is available as Appendix A (on the last page.

• Please read over the Appendix A, sign, and bring it back to the centre.

• we would like for the parents and guardians to self-assess your child every day before entering the childcare facility.

 

 

Symptoms

 

• Temperature of 100 F / 37.8 C or higher (orally) or 99 F / 37.2 C or higher 

•  chills 

• Runny nose and Sinus congestion 

• Cough 

• Sore throat 

• Difficulty breathing (small children this can look like breathing fast or working too hard to breath)

• Loss of smell or taste 

• Nausea or vomiting

• Diarrhea

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For mild symptoms without fever children and staff members should stay home and monitor symptoms for 24 hours if symptoms improve and the child/staff member feels well enough, they can return to the childcare facility without further assessment and doctors note. 

If symptoms include difficulty breathing, of if symptoms last more than 24 hours or get worse, seek a health assessment by calling 8-1-1 or a primary care provider. If a COVID-19 test is recommended because of the health and assessment, self-isolate while waiting for the result.

If you are unsure call 8-1-1 for advice

 

Cleaning And Disinfecting

 

These are measuring the staff will take to ensure you child’s health and safety 

1. Clean and disinfect the premises at least once every 24 hours

2. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at least twice every 24 hours including doorknobs, light switch, toilet handles, and toys by multiple children 

3. Clean and disinfect and surface that is visibly dirty

4. Clean and disinfect sleeping mat, changing tables after each use 
    

Managing Illness 

 

Children or staff who become sick or has one of the symptoms above while in the childcare setting should go home as soon as possible. Consider creating a space that is separated from others where a sick child or staff member can wait for transportation home. Children and staff should be permitted to return to the childcare facility without any symptoms of illness remaining.

 

Case Funding and Contact Tracing 

 

Case finding and contact tracing are measure conducted by public health if a staff member or child is confirmed case of COVID-19 through testing or investigation (i.e., case finding), public health will identify who that person has been in recent contact with (i.e., case contact tracing) to determine how they became infected and who else might be at risk of infection.

 

 

Hand Hygiene

 

Rigorous hand washing with plain soap and water reduces the spread of illness. Provide regular opportunities for staff and children to wash hand with plain soap and water for at least 20 sec or use alcohol/based hand rub containing at least 60% alcohol. Children and staff should wash their hands when entering the centre before leaving the centre and.

 

Respiratory Etiquette

 

Children and staff should:

• Cough or sneeze into their elbow sleeve or tissue

• Throw away used tissue and immediately perform hand hygiene 

• Not touch their eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands

 

Personal Items

 

Personal items (e.g., blankets, reusable food, or drink containers) can be brought into the childcare setting from home for individual use. Parents and caregivers should label these items and wash these items at home at the end of the day.

 

Physical Distancing and Minimizing Physical contract

 

1. Encourage more physical space between children by: 

• Spreading children out into different areas; or walking 

• alternating, lunchtime, outdoor playtime; and incorporating more individual activities or activities that encourage more space between children. 

2.We will not use community playgrounds.

3. Increase the distance between nap mats. If space is tight, place children head-to-toe or toe-to-toe.  Sleeping mats should be disinfected after each use. 

4.Reinforce “no food sharing” policies. 

5. The Staff will avoid getting close to faces of all children, when possible. 

 

Screening

 

All individuals, including children, and staff must be screened upon arrival using the criteria in Appendix A. Deny entry to any person including the child of a parent/guardian who meets the following criteria such as Signs or symptoms of respiratory infection, such as cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, and/or fever, running nose, chills, loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and anyone who have travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days. We will not permit children who are ill to attend childcare.