Keep Your Child Safe at Daycare During COVID-19

If we didn’t know it before this crisis, we know it now: childcare is essential to our lives, our work, and our society as a whole. Daycare centers like Anna's Day Care are opening back up because the need is so great, and we’re taking every precaution we can to keep every child in our care safe. But we can’t succeed without help from parents. 

That’s why we put together this list of ways you can help keep your child safe when they’re at daycare. The more we work together, the better the odds that all of us will make it through this crisis safely. Keep reading to learn our tips.

1) Reinforce handwashing at home.

Washing your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds is still one of the best ways to slow the spread of COVID-19. Children thrive on routine, so make handwashing part of theirs. Teach them to sing the “Happy Birthday” song to help them time their handwashing. Make sure they see you washing your hands too, so they understand just how important it is for everyone.

2) Talk to your child about wearing masks and help them get used to wearing one.

All of the best scientific advice shows that wearing masks helps prevent the spread of COVID-19. If your child is old enough to wear a mask, make sure they have one that fits them well and is comfortable. Have them wear it whenever they’re in public and make it clear that they can’t take it off when they’re around other people. Reusable masks should be washed frequently, and disposable ones should be thrown away as soon as you’re done with them. And of course, make sure you’re wearing a mask when in public.

3) Make sure your child has all of their vaccinations, including a flu shot.

There is no vaccine for COVID-19 yet, but that’s no excuse to skip or postpone your child’s other shots. Having a strong immune system is more important than ever. The last thing you want to face is your child having chickenpox, measles, or the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. Besides, making sure your child is vaccinated increases herd immunity, protecting children and adults who can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons.

4) If you suspect your child has been exposed to COVID-19, keep them home.

In this crisis, we have to take care of each other. Children often don’t get COVID-19 symptoms as severely as adults do, but they can spread the disease. So if your child or anyone else in your household is showing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, dry cough, etc.), keep your child home until you’re sure they don’t have it. This also applies if you know your child has been exposed but they don’t have symptoms yet.

The most important thing to remember is that we’re all in this together. We all have to do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19. By following these tips, you won’t just keep your child safe. You’ll help keep everyone safe. And right now, that’s the best thing you can do.