Revised on 8/21/2020

If you have not been following about the most recent City and County of San Francisco’s Department of Public Health’s Shelter in Place Order, it states on page 30, effective June 1, 2020, child care programs can open to serve all children regardless of parental work category or status.  We have reviewed the latest San Francisco Health Order, Interim Guidance, and Industry Directives for Childcare.

Reference:
https://www.dcyf.org/care
https://sf.gov/information/schools-childcare-and-youth-programs-during-coronavirus-pandemic

COVID-19 Health and Safety Plan: Sample form. Completed original plans are posted at individual locations.

Risk Acknowledgement Forms for Parents/Guardians:
Childcare providers must collect signed Risk Acknowledgement Forms from parents/guardians in order for their children to attend childcare.

COVID-19 Health Checks at Programs for Children:
This document lists symptoms that must be assessed, defines what body temperature is considered a fever, and sets out the criteria that must be met for a child to return to childcare after COVID-19 symptoms subside. 

COVID-19 Health Check Sheet for Staff:
One-page check sheet that can be used by programs for children and youth to screen children for COVID-19 symptoms and fever when they arrive each day. 

Parent/Guardian Handout: COVID-19 Health Checks/If Your Child has Symptoms:
Information for parents and guardians about how to conduct a COVID-19 Health Check (symptoms screening and temperature checks). The second page contains instructions on what to do if a child has fever or COVID-19 symptoms, criteria for when they can return to childcare/camp/programming after their symptoms subside, and information about COVID-19 testing locations.

Reference: ​https://www.dcyf.org/2020-summer-inquiry

Will our child care service need to close if a family member or household member of a child or staff member has COVID-19?
Child care services are typically considered low-risk, and closures are not usually recommended. However, our program should not allow children or staff members who have been exposed to return for 14 days after their last close contact with the person they have been exposed to. 

For staff members who have been exposed, please see the SF Department of Public Health’s guidance about leaving isolation and returning to work. 

What should we do if a child, or staff member has been infected with COVID-19, as confirmed by a positive COVID-19 test?

1. Contact the SF Department of Public Health (SFDPH) Schools and Childcare Hub for consultation and guidance at (415) 554-2830. Press 1 for COVID-19, then press 6 for Schools. Please also email them at Schools-childcaresites@sfdph.org.
2. Close your facility for 2-5 days. This short-term closure allows time to safely clean and disinfect the building, and for local health officials to determine appropriate next steps.
3. Communicate with staff, parents, and students. Maintain the confidentiality of the child, youth, or staff member with COVID-19, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, and possibly HIPAA.
4. Clean and disinfect thoroughly. Refer to the section titled “Cleaning and disinfecting your building or facility if someone is sick” on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility page.
5. Work with SFDPH to determine when your child care service or summer program can re-open. Determine when staff can return, and what additional steps are needed for children and youth to return.

Reference: ​https://www.dcyf.org/handling-covid19-issues

Additional Information and Guidance
Please see San Francisco Department of Public Health Disease Prevention & Control: https://www.sfcdcp.org/infectious-diseases-a-to-z/coronavirus-2019-novel-coronavirus/#1585590211125-ccfb7e93-4edf

Children's health and safety is our first priority in our program. 
As everyone's concern, parents have inquired about our precaution regarding coronavirus. We understand children we work with are primarily infants and toddlers, they have an immune system still developing and not as strong as adults.

To prevent widespread illness in your child’s child care program, we recommend that your child stay home from child care if experiencing flu or cold symptoms. 

In an effort to support the well-being of all families in our child care, we have continued to monitor recommendations related to the 2019 novel Coronavirus (n-CoV). This situation is dynamic and rapidly changing with new guidance and recommendations issued.

While this is a serious public health threat, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) characterizes the immediate health risk from the new coronavirus as low for anyone who is unlikely to be exposed to this virus.

The coronavirus is in the family of viruses that cause the common cold, so symptoms and prevention measures are similar. To decide whether or not to send your child to school and whether or not to seek medical help, please consider the following:

Consider keeping your child at home if he or she has any of the following symptoms:

• Very stuffy or runny nose and/or cough
• Mild sore throat
• Headache
• Stomachache

Definitely keep your child at home for treatment and observation if he or she has any of these symptoms:

• Fever greater than 100.4 degrees (your child may return to school only after his or her temperature has been below 100 degrees for 24 hours without medication)
• Vomiting (even once) or diarrhea
• General feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness or muscle aches, chills
• Frequent wet or croupy cough

When to contact your healthcare provider: If your child continues to have symptoms beyond 10 days, has severe or unusual symptoms, or is in a high risk category (history of asthma or other respiratory condition, diabetes, heart disease, or being immunocompromised younger than 5 years of age), seek medical advice. 

• If someone has fever, cough or difficulty breathing, and has recently traveled from China or had been in close contact with someone who is under investigation for or confirmed to be infected with Coronavirus, stay home, wear a mask and call your healthcare provider. 

There are currently no known exposures to the coronavirus in our child care programs. Although this is a low risk situation to our homes, we are taking high precautions and will continue to update the families as circumstances warrant.

On January 31, 2020 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency and announced new travel restrictions from China to the United States:

Effective 5 p.m. February 2, 2020, the U.S. has new travel restrictions and required monitoring. There will be a temporary ban on entry for foreign nationals who have been to China in the past 14 days. American citizens returning from Hubei in the past 14 days will be subject to health screening and up to 14 days of mandatory quarantine. American citizens returning from mainland China in the past 14 days will be subject to health screening and up to 14 days of monitored self isolation.

​If you were in China and returned to the United States after January 18, 2020, this is important information for you:

• If you have traveled to Hubei in the past 14 days, please contact your healthcare provider and provide this information. You need to be screened, monitored and self-isolate up to 14 days after leaving China.
• If you have traveled in mainland China (outside of Hubei) in the past 14 days, you need to self-monitor and self-isolate for up to 14 days after leaving China.

If this applies to you, click here for what you need to know and do.
In addition to these new travel restrictions from China to the United States, earlier this week, travel restrictions to China were implemented by the U.S. Department of State and the CDC. State Department elevated China travel advisory to 'Do Not Travel' due to coronavirus.

To help prevent cold, flu, and coronavirus:

• Wash hands frequently
• Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth
• Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, using a  tissue, sleeve or facemask
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick

If your child has cold and flu symptoms, please observe your child at home before deciding whether or not to send them to child care. Your child should be physically able to participate in all child care activities upon return to school.  Keeping a sick child at home will minimize the spread of such viral infections in the child care home.

Thank you for helping prevent the spread of illness at child care!

Reference:
https://www.sfcdcp.org/infectious-diseases-a-to-z/coronavirus-2019-novel-coronavirus/
https://www.sfusd.edu/announcements/2020-01-27-update-cold-flu-and-coronavirus
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

News in the Bay:
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/02/416606/ucsf-health-response-novel-coronavirus-outbreak

Sharon is relocating to Hayes Valley in coming December 2019. If you are interested to learn more, please visit hayesvalley.daycaresf.com ​to get on the notification list.