Policies and procedures to manage COVID-19 risks

As the country and states individually are making determinations about what is required to address COVID-19, we wanted to make sure that you are equipped to manage the risks within your own communities. The CDC has issued a Child Care and Preschool Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist. Additionally, stay abreast of the government’s response at the CDC’s website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/index.html.

Federal agencies have begun to provide for flexibilities and provide blanket waivers for meeting federal requirements. Guidance is on their respective websites – OCC, OHS, and FNS.

During this time, you will likely need to consider policies for:

• Limiting parents entry into the classroom;

• Sanitizing daily or more;

• Waiving attendance policy;

• Canceling trainings and meetings;

• Excluding teachers and children exhibiting symptoms;

• Handwashing;

• Limiting entry into child development centers;

• Delivery of resources and food orders;

• Cleaning and sanitizing toys and play spaces;

• Allowing non-essential employees to work from home;

• Eliminating family-style dining;

• Cleaning and sanitizing office spaces and vehicles.

Additionally, there are examples of how Tribes and States are managing their own services available from across the country that you can access – Chickasaw Nation (OK), Delaware Child Development (OK), North Carolina, Rosebud Sioux Tribe (SD), Texas.

If you have a policy that you are willing to share, please upload it here. Please also share how your program and community have been affected by COVID-19. Your stories are important for ensuring that child care programs are receiving the supports required to meet the needs of our communities.

To stay abreast of the latest on COVID-19, check out the live data website developed by a 17-year old from Seattle.