1. Frequent Handwashing
- Reinforce handwashing routines, especially upon arrival, after having been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Ensure children are supervised when using hand sanitizer and that it is inaccessible to them when not in use.
- CDC guidance on handwashing can be found at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/guidance-for-childcare.html#HandHygiene
OUR PLAN FOR HANDWASHING:
Staff and Visitors are required to wash their hands before entering the classrooms or working with children in our Lovely Child Care Center.
Children will be directed to wash their hands as they arrive, between all activities and throughout the day as needed to instill a strong habit and as a precaution.
Teachers will ensure all children learn proper ways of washing their hands. They will be encouraged throughout the day to sanitize their hands and wash them thoroughly.
Handwashing soups and hand sanitizers will be readily available.
2. Cleaning and disinfecting
- Protocols related to cleaning and disinfection of programs should be detailed so that staff know what is expected of them. Follow MDH and CDC guidance for frequent cleaning and disinfecting of your program:
- Ensure high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, stair rails, counters, tables and chairs, shared toys, program equipment and other items are regularly cleaned and disinfected.
- Minimize the use of shared supplies (e.g. arts and crafts, office supplies) that cannot be sanitized and consider using designated bins for clean and used items.
- Establish procedures for cleaning and disinfection after persons suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 have been in the program.
OUR PLAN FOR CLEANING AND DISINFECTING:
Staff will ensure to clean and disinfect as needed and between shifts there will be time allocated for staff members to come in earlier or leave late to clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces.
Teachers will ensure that shared supplies are cleaned and disinfected between us and bins will be provided for used toys to be cleaned.
3. Arrival and Departure
- Whenever possible, pick-up and drop-off should occur outside and/or limit the extent to which parents enter the program and interact with each other.
- Consider use of multiple entrances and exits when these can be used safely by the staff, volunteers and visitors.
- Before children enter the space, screen them to ensure those with symptoms are not attending.
- Screening process for children: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/guidance-for-childcare.html#ScreenChildren
OUR PLAN FOR ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE:
Parents will be limited to the front reception area to sign in and out their children and for pick up and drop off. There will be space between drop off and pick up for parents to limit their interaction with each other.
4. Plans for sick children, staff, and volunteers
- Conduct daily health checks. This includes screening for children, staff, volunteers, and household members for family child care programs to ensure those who exhibit any symptoms of illness are not present.
- Follow exclusion guidance and ensure children, staff, and volunteers stay home when sick: http://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/exguide.pdf
- Use CDC guidance to develop a plan for what you will do if someone becomes sick with COVID-like symptoms: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/guidance-for-childcare.html#General
- If a child, staff member, or volunteer is diagnosed with COVID-19 or if you have questions about a child, staff member, or volunteer who is exhibiting symptoms, reach out to MDH at [email protected] and follow their direction.
- Using the MDH and CDC resources above, create a communication plan for how and when you will notify parents, staff, and volunteers if a child, staff member, volunteer or household member for family child care programs has been exposed, is exhibiting symptoms, or has tested positive.
- Contact MDH if you have questions (at the email address above)
- Ensure the parent or guardian contact information in each child’s record is up-to-date.
OUR PLAN FOR SICK CHILDREN, STAFF, AND VOLUNTEERS:
We will conduct health screening at the point of children being dropped off. If any children have any symptoms, they will be sent home with their parents. Children will be checked throughout the time they are in our care and at any time they have any of the symptoms mentioned above they will be sent home.
We will follow MDH guidance on reporting any cases of COVID-19 at our Lovely Center care immediately.
5. Social distancing throughout the day
- Limit group sizes as much as possible and create consistent groups of children and providers, staff, or volunteers who stay together throughout the day.
- Add visual cues or barriers to direct traffic flow and distancing. For example, you may want to tape “Xs” on the floor to let children know where they should sit to promote social distancing.
- At nap time, ensure that children’s naptime mats (or cribs) are spaced out as much as possible. Consider placing children head to toe in order to further reduce the potential for viral spread.
OUR PLAN FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING THROUGHOUT THE DAY:
Teachers will instruct the children to keep a social distancing guideline throughout the day.
Group sizes will be limited to small groups and activities will limit to small group and practice social distancing.
Whenever the weather permits teachers will be encouraged to take the children outside for walks and playground.
6. Source control and cloth face coverings
- Cloth face coverings are an important piece for mitigating the spread of the virus but are most effective if it can stay in place without being pulled on or touched by the person wearing it or others. Within this context, the provider, staff members, and volunteers are encouraged to wear cloth face coverings during the work day as much as possible, recognizing the development needs of the children in their care.
- Children should not wear cloth face coverings unless they can reliably wear, remove, and handle the cloth face covering throughout the day. Cloth face coverings should NOT be put on infants or children younger than 2 because of the danger of suffocation.
- Face covering guidance is available here: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/masks.html#child https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html
OUR PLAN FOR SOURCE CONTROL AND CLOTH FACE COVERINGS:
All staff and teachers are encouraged to wear their cloth face covering during the times when they are in close instruction with children and should follow the guidelines of the health department.
7. Workplace ventilation
- Recognizing this may be difficult in center or school buildings, where possible work to maximize the amount of fresh air being brought in, limit air recirculation and make sure ventilation systems are being properly used and maintained. Take steps to minimize air flow blowing across people. It could mean keeping windows open where possible, removing or repositioning fans, and encouraging outdoor time.
8. Playground use
- Stagger playground use rather than allowing big groups to play together.
- Wash hands before and after touching play structures. If possible, consider cleaning high touch areas of the play structure between groups.
- If you choose to bring children in your care to a public playground, be careful to ensure children wash hands after touching play structures and maintain six feet of space from other children as much as possible. https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/playground.pdf
OUR PLAN FOR MITIGATING COVID-19 IN PLAYGROUND USE:
Whenever we take children outside for outdoor activities all staff and children will wash hands. Any outside playground equipment will also be thoroughly cleaned or sanitized.
9. Meals and snacks
- If meals are typically served family-style, plate each meal and serve it so that multiple children are not using the same serving utensils.
- To the extent possible, serve meals in individual classrooms. If using a cafeteria, the meal should be served to one small group of children at a time, with cleaning and sanitizing occurring in between groupings.
OUR PLAN FOR MITIGATING COVID-19 DURING MEALS AND SNACK TIMES:
Meals and drinks will be pre-plated if possible, and there will be space between children while they are eating on the tables.
10. Field trips and events
- Do not plan large group activities, such as field trips and family events. Consider changing field trips and events to a virtual format where appropriate.
- If you have an in-house field trip, screen the presenter. It would be best if in-house field trips are held outside in small group settings. Remember that social distance needs to be maintained, groups should not be mixed, and whenever possible, cleaning and sanitizing should occur between groups.
OUR PLAN DURING FIELD TRIPS AND EVENTS:
We will not plan to have any large activities such as field trips and family events.
Regular Staff meetings, Parent-Teacher Conferences, In-house trainings, will all be minimized to bare necessities or postponed. If planned they will follow restrict social distance guidelines.
11. Communications and training
- The plan must be available to the Commissioner and offered to families. Be sure to communicate to families, using plain language, the expectations for parents and children in implementing this plan (e.g. outdoor pick-up/drop-off protocols).
- The plan must be posted in a prominent place and readily accessible to all of your employees, adult caregivers, substitutes, and volunteers who need to review it. Provide training to ensure everyone is following your plan. Keep these individuals updated on any changes to the plan.
- Staff with concerns about their employer’s COVID-19 Preparedness Plan or questions about their rights should contact MNOSHA Compliance at [email protected], 651-284-5050 or 877-470-6742.
Our Plan for COMMUNICATIONS AND TRAINING:
Our Lovely Center will give the utmost effort to share this plan, inform the parents, and train our staff on its contents and resources. If anyone has more questions or wanted more clarifications about the COVID-19 Preparedness Plan; our management team will do the best they can to address it. Any and all other concerns or questions about this plan should be to directed to: MNOSHA: [email protected], Tel: 651-284-5050 or 1-877-470-6742
Lovely Child Care Center encourages all parents and guardians to follow this plan and help mitigate the spread and danger of this deadly pandemic. The health and safety of our children in our center is our utmost guarded responsibility.
Prepared, reviewed and implemented by:
Rahma Haille: Program Director
Sahra Hassan: Office Manager