COVID-19 GUIDEDANCE

COVID-19 Survival Guide

What is COVID-19 (aka “novel coronavirus”)?

COVID-19 is a new coronavirus that had not been previously identified and was first identified in Wuhan, China. After being identified in China in December 2019, it spread across the world. As of March 11, 2020, the W.H.O. declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Get more info here.

What areas of the world are affected by COVID-19?

● USA MAP

● WORLD MAP

Frequently Asked Questions Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for Child Care Settings Updated August 26, 2020

The following guidance is provided to assist child care providers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 emergency is rapidly evolving. It is important to check the links in this document and on the resources pages frequently for updated information as well as updates to this document.

A. Staffing and Program Operations

1. Should staff or children at risk for serious illness from COVID-19, including those over the age of 65 or persons with certain medical conditions, be allowed to remain at work or attend child care? Employees and parents of children in child care should seek guidance from their health care providers regarding recommendations for working or attending child care during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially if they are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Older adults and those people with underlying health conditions, who are vulnerable to serious illness from COVID-19, are strongly advised to continue staying home as much as possible. This means they should not be present in child care facilities. Employers and families should follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance when considering a staff person’s ability to work or a child’s ability to attend child care related to COVID-19 risks (such as age or presence of certain chronic conditions).

2. Should a child care program perform temperature and symptoms screening before allowing a child or staff member to enter a child care program? Yes. All child care programs should perform daily symptom and temperature screening for children and staff upon arrival to the child care site. Symptom screening includes asking questions about symptoms of COVID-19 and close contact with persons who have COVID-19 or are suspected of having COVID-19. Child care programs should follow the “Guidance for Temperature and Symptom Screening in Child Care Programs” developed by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) based on CDC recommendations. This details the recommended processes for conducting temperature and symptom screening for children and staff. Children or staff members with a fever (100.4o or greater) or any other symptoms of COVID-19, those who are waiting for a COVID-19 test result, those who have been 19 diagnosed with COVID-19, those who have been instructed to isolate or quarantine by a health care provider or the health department, or those who have had close contact with any person with COVID-19 or suspected of having COVID-19 in the last 14 days should be excluded from care/work.

3. How are child care providers to practice social distancing in an early care and education setting? There are many strategies to practice social distancing. These include but are not limited to:

● Staggering arrival and dismissal time for children by group (including the teachers if possible)

● Avoid mixing groups of children at arrival and dismissal time or in shared areas prior to classroom teacher arrival

● Prohibit parents/ guardians from entering the building unless necessary

● Maintaining 6 feet distance between children and staff when direct care is not being provided

● Creating distance (6 feet) between tables and other spaces occupied by children

● Incorporating outside playtime as able with more than 6 feet between children and only a small group outside at the same time

● Limiting item sharing

● Avoiding the mixing of groups of children and teachers (including sharing bathrooms) to the greatest extent possible Additional strategies are available in the CDC guidance for child care programs that remain open.

4. May the children use the playground available at my program? Children may use playground equipment only if social distancing is maintained, and if the playground structure is able to be cleaned according to CDC guidance. Other outdoor toys should be cleaned and sanitized between groups (e.g., sandbox toys, tricycles). Only one classroom of children may use the playground at a time. If the playground is used, it should be cleaned at least daily. Children should wash their hands immediately after playing on the playground. Use the cleaners typically used at your facility. Guidance is available for the selection of appropriate sanitizers or disinfectants.