PLEASE READ OUR UPDATED COVID-19 GUIDANCE FORM, LINK BELOW
PreK-12 School and Child Care Guidance final_7.22.22
The health and safety of your children and our PCDC community are always our highest priority. We are monitoring the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and its potential impact for the metropolitan region and for the school. We work and collaborate with the MD Department of Health on all health-related cases and receive additional guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
We continue to actively monitor the spread of Coronavirus and will regularly update this page to share the daycare’s responses, communications, and helpful resources. If you have any questions after reading the following information, please email [email protected]
FAQs
COVID-19 has injected uncertainty into every crevice of our lives. At PCDC, we know that when it comes to our children, there is very little room for that kind of uncertainty.
We want to assure you of our commitment to maximize every possible opportunity for safe in-person learning at our daycare, we must also be sure to communicate clearly and transparently about everything related to COVID-19, both those things that we as a daycare can control, and those things over which we as a community are, frankly, powerless.
In all of our planning, we are prioritizing the following guiding principles:
• The health and safety of all members of our community must be our first priority
• All potential plans must be practical, sustainable and financially sound.
• All potential plans must be dynamic and flexible.
All potential plans must comply with local rules and regulations.
We aim to answer the frequently asked questions below as clearly and transparently as is possible in the rapidly evolving environment that this global pandemic has created for all of us.
• If you have additional questions that are not addressed here, please reach out to me directly at [email protected]
What will the daily health screenings entail?
• While PCDC is still developing our own updated health policies and guidelines, current MSDE guidance is as follows:
• Any child or staff member meeting “Yes” for any of the above criteria in the program’s daily health screen shall not be admitted. Such families or staff shall be instructed to call their health care provider to determine next steps.
• Child-care staff should visually inspect each child and staff member for signs of illness which could include flushed cheeks, rapid breathing or difficulty breathing (without recent physical activity), fatigue, or extreme fussiness.
• Parents/guardians and staff should be asked if they or their child have been in close contact with a person who has COVID-19 or a person who is awaiting COVID-19 test results.
• Parents/guardians and staff should be asked about whether the child or staff member has experienced one or more of the following symptoms that has not been previously evaluated by a healthcare provider:
• Fever (100.4 degrees or above)
• Cough
• Nasal congestion
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath
• Diarrhea
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle Pain
• Poor feeding or poor appetite
• Loss of taste or smell
• Or any other symptom of not feeling well.
What steps will you take to reduce transmission within the classroom?
All adults must wear non-medical face coverings or face masks at all times while in the daycare. Students 2 years and older are highly encouraged to wear face coverings or cloth masks when feasible and if deemed developmentally appropriate by the parent, guardian or child-care provider. Any child wearing a mask must be able to safely use, avoid touching, and remove the covering without assistance.
Children and staff will wash their hands frequently throughout the day. Handwashing strategies include washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Hand cleaning supplies will be readily available in classrooms, bathrooms, and offices. Students will wash or sanitize their hands when both entering and exiting a classroom and between activities.
Will children be required to wear masks?
PCDC will follow the guidance of local authorities regarding whether masks are appropriate for children to wear in an educational setting. In preparation for this potential requirement, I’m working with my licensing specialist on content that will help to make such a requirement explainable and less threatening for children.
How are you addressing the needs of immunocompromised children?
PCDC is committed to ensuring that all of our students are protected and provided for in this uncertain environment. If you have any unique concerns about your child’s health and safety, we ask you to share those with me so that we may ensure that the needs of your child are accounted for in our planning.
How will you accommodate parents who are not comfortable having their child back at daycare due to health concerns?
The health and safety of our students is our number one priority. In the event that a family is uncomfortable having their child physically at daycare in a given scenario, we would discuss this on a case by case basis with that family.
What will you do in the event a member of the community tests positive for COVID-19, whether a student, staff person or even family member?
MD Health will direct PCDC on the necessary steps in the event of a positive case within our community. This could range from only being ‘closed’ for two days for a deep cleaning or 14 days of quarantine or the daycare being closed for two to 14 days.
Current MSDE guidance regarding the individual is the following:
Students and staff must stay home, or not be admitted, if:
• They or any member of their household is confirmed to have COVID-19.
• Any member of their household is awaiting COVID-19 test results.
If a student or staff member is confirmed to have COVID-19, the student or staff member must not return to school until:
• 72 hours after the fever has resolved without the use of fever-reducing medication (e.g., Motrin, Tylenol) and respiratory symptoms have improved; AND
• At least ten days after symptoms first appeared, whichever is later; OR
• Per their health care provider or MD Health instructions. If any student or staff member has been in close contact with a person who is positive for COVID-19, then the student or staff member must not enter the facility until cleared by their healthcare provider or have completed their quarantine period without becoming symptomatic or diagnosed with COVID-19. If any student or staff member has been in close contact with a person who is awaiting a COVID-19 test result, then the student or staff member must not enter the facility until the close contact tests negative. If the close contact tests positive, then they should seek guidance from their healthcare provider or MD Health. Recommendations regarding these timelines are evolving, and guidelines will be updated if further information becomes available from MD Health and CDC.
Is it Allergies, Influenza, COVID-19 or a Cold? (Added 8.30.2020)
At this time of year, there is an overlap of viral illnesses with the onset of the spring/summer allergy season. The continuing spread of the COVID-19 virus, as well as continuing widespread circulation of Influenza results in a challenge to identify what symptoms may mean. The following chart may be of assistance in assessing the symptoms that you or your family member may be experiencing. As always, consult with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about what a set of symptoms may mean.
Additional Resources
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Official Coronavirus Webpage
• World Health Organization Official Coronavirus Webpage
• CDC Official Map of Confirmed US Cases
• Johns Hopkins CSSE Map of Global Cases
• The Washington Post’s Coronavirus Coverage
• CDC COVID-19 factsheet
• CDC comprehensive Coronavirus
• CDC travel advisories
• US Department of State Travel Advisory site
Travel
Personal Travel Guidelines
The CDC cautions anyone entering the United States from a country under a Level 3 Travel Health Notice to stay home for 14 days. As of this writing, Level 3 notices apply to China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran. Anyone coming from a country under a Level 2 Travel Health Notice (currently, Japan) should monitor their health and limit interactions with others. We expect every member of our community to follow CDC guidelines and also notify the School of such travel.
NCRC will continue to follow CDC and Department of Health Guidelines. Students and family members who travel abroad may be asked to remain out of school for an extended period of time if they travel to or through any areas where COVID-19 is prevalent. Please continue to check the CDC’s travel advisory website for up-to-date information.
If you do opt to travel overseas in the upcoming weeks you must inform me at ([email protected]) if you or a family member is advised to self-isolate or self-quarantine upon your return to daycare.
In addition, If any member of your family is aware, or has been advised by authorities, of possible exposure to the coronavirus, please notify us at [email protected] immediately. Of course, it is essential that any self-isolation measures required by public health authorities or the Daycare be strictly observed for the safety of the entire community.
