Implementing the CDC Guidance
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Implementing The CDC Guidance: Considerations for Open or Re-Opening Child Care Programs Pre-Recorded Webinar Wednesday, June 24, 2020 Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services Welcome! • Offered by The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), Bureau of Certification, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Key • Webinars on Pennsylvania Key website: • www.pakeys.org/ece-coronavirus-resources • Slides are posted with the recording • ON DEMAND access available anytime! • Pre-recorded webinars are different in response to questions sent to this address: [email protected] Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services Facilitated by • Amy Requa, MSN, CRNP (Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner) • Senior Health Manager at the Pennsylvania Key • In support of Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development & Early Learning Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services Webinar Content Follows The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Guidance Guidance for Child Care Programs that Remain Open: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- ncov/community/schools-childcare/guidance-for- childcare.html Purpose: 1. Clarify practices in the current CDC Guidance 2. Identify steps and considerations to keep children, staff, and parents safe and healthy 3. Address questions submitted by providers Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services Position of the Bureau of Certification • The Bureau of Certification is recommending child care providers follow the CDC guidance to the best of their ability • CDC Guidance describes what programs should do • Child care operators considering reopening must familiarize themselves with this guidance • See Phased-In Approach to Reopen Business: What it means for child care programs (OCDEL Announcement on May 2, 2020) Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services Communication is Key Communicate with families frequently: • Update emergency contact information • Explain your new policies and procedures • Offer ways to communicate virtually Check-in with families: • Family well-being – share community resources • Keep children up-to-date on their immunizations and well-child visits • Prevention is Best: Healthy and Ready to Learn Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services Children and COVID-19 In general, worldwide research and data trends show: • Children are NOT super-spreaders of COVID-19 (unlike other viruses, i.e. influenza and measles) • Children get infected less and spread COVID-19 less than older individuals • Children get milder illness than adults • Most cases in children come from clusters in families – usually from adults Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services “Child Care FAQs for Families in Need of Care” Updated by PA DHS: June 1, 2020 Q: Are child care staff required to wear masks? A: All staff should wear cloth face coverings while providing child care. Q: Is my child required to wear a mask? A: No, children are not required to wear masks. However, per current CDC guidance, masks are recommended for older youth, when feasible. Cloth face coverings should NOT be put on babies and children under age two because of the danger of suffocation. https://www.dhs.pa.gov/providers/Providers/Pages/ Coronavirus-FAQS.aspx Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services Webinar Topics: Frequently Asked Questions • Exclusion & Return to Care • Guidance on Doctor’s Letters/Notes • Summertime Safety During COVID-19 • Outdoor activities • Water play and swimming • Transporting children • Families & Domestic/International Travel Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services PA Child Care Regulations Exclusion and Return to Care • What do the PA Child Care Regulations say about communicable diseases, exclusion, and Doctor’s notes for return to care? • Let’s review these Regulations… Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services 3270.137. Children with Symptoms of Disease An operator who observes an enrolled child with symptoms of a communicable disease or infection that can be transmitted directly or indirectly and which may threaten the health of children in care shall exclude the child from attendance until the operator receives notification from a physician or a CRNP that the child is no longer considered a threat to the health of others. The notification shall be retained in the child’s file. Diseases and conditions which require exclusion are specified in 28 Pa. Code Chapter 27 (relating to communicable and noncommunicable diseases). The Department of Health will provide, upon request, a list of communicable diseases. Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services 3270.153. Facility persons with symptoms of disease. A facility person with symptoms of a communicable disease or infection that can be transmitted directly or indirectly and which may threaten the health of children in care shall be excluded from attendance until the facility operator receives notification from a physician or CRNP that the person is no longer considered a threat to the health of others. The notification shall be retained in the facility person’s file. Exclusion from the facility is required for diseases and conditions specified in 28 Pa. Code Chapter 27 (relating to communicable and noncommunicable diseases). The Department of Health will provide, upon request, a list of communicable diseases. Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services Return to Care or Work Doctor’s Letters/Notes: What is acceptable notification? Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services Acceptable Notification Methods for Return to Care or Work • Signed letter/note on letterhead may be faxed to the operator • Letter/note on letterhead or document with identifying information may be emailed as an attachment to the operator • Letter/note with identifying information may be typed into the body of an email to the operator • A Smartphone photo of the letter/note with identifying information may be texted or emailed to the operator Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services Retaining the Notification • Must retain the notification • If the child has a paper file, the operator should print out the virtual documentation and insert it in the child’s file or record • The child’s records may be kept digitally • The operator may save the photo, email, etc. into the child’s digital file Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services What About a Fever? For a child or staff not tested for COVID-19 • Refer to the PA Code for the existing licensing regulations on exclusion and return to care criteria • PA Code suggests exclusion for fever: pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/ pacode/data/028/chapter27/s27.76.html • PA Code is non-specific as to when to return to care, except for infants under four months (when fever is resolved or judged to be noninfective) Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services Best Practices • PA Code is non-specific about return to care for fever, see Caring for Our Children (CFOC, 4th edition): nrckids.org/cfoc • Caring for Our Children has guidance for fever under influenza management: nrckids.org/CFOC/Database/7.3.3.2 • Allow children and staff who have been excluded for fever, or respiratory symptoms AND fever to return once fever has resolved for 24 hours with no fever reducing medications. Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services What About a Cough? • Very commonly, a child might arrive with a cough and/or runny nose (mild respiratory symptoms) • Child is behaving normally - no fever • Testing or exclusion is not recommended • Consistent with PA Code and Caring for Our Children (CFOC, 4th Ed.) Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services Potential Exposures • A potential exposure means being a household contact or having close contact within six feet of an individual with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes. • The timeframe for having contact with an individual includes the period of time of 48 hours before the individual became symptomatic. Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services Must Report COVID-19 If there is a positive case of COVID-19 in a child or adult who has been present in child care facility: • Call Pennsylvania Department of Health at 1-877-724-3258 • Inform OCDEL by contacting the appropriate Regional Office of Certification. Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary of Education | Teresa Miller, Secretary of Human Services If a Child or Staff has COVID-19 CDC provides step-by-step guidance for returning if a person has COVID-19: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if- you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html Tom Wolf, Governor Pedro Rivera, Secretary