MoCo childcare COVID policies forum
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Anonymous
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I send an email to DHHS and county council members about conflicting guidance on quarantines and received an email that continued the following:
In addition, the County Executive has scheduled a public forum on this issue with childcare providers this Thursday, January 27 from 6:30-7:30. The forum will provide an opportunity for parents and providers to hear directly from our local public health officials as to the current guidance and the reasoning behind it. This event can be viewed live at one of the following sites: County Facebook page, County’s YouTube channel, or the County Cable channel. |
Anonymous
Anonymous
| If they say they are not accepting the state's guidelines of 5 day quarantine for under 5 who can mask, they need to provide a decision criteria for when they will do that. |
Anonymous
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I’m sure this will be extremely well represented by all of the minority owned women daycares in the county. The majority of which are in home daycare. /s
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Anonymous
Their new guidance allows for this for kids who are exposed and test negative on day 5 or later. But 1) they require a test (unlike the state) and 2) they do not let kids under 5 who have COVID get out of quarantine early (also unlike the state), even if they test negative. Regardless, many daycares are still requiring all kids who are exposed to quarantine for the full 10 days, saying that the guidance is confusing. Rather than rewriting it, DHHS is holding this town hall to clear up any confusion. But it would be better to actually make the written guidance clearer. |
Anonymous
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Here's a sample email to county leadership that outlines the problems with the January 25 guidance: (https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/Resources/Files/quarantine/I-Q-guidance.pdf)
// The January 25 version of the K-12 and childcare isolation and quarantine guidance introduces a host of new problems. Considering tomorrow's childcare town hall (which conflicts with a provider discussion with the state on their isolation and quarantine guidance!), the best solution would be for DHHS to nullify its January 25 guidance and swiftly ratify the state's January guidance. First, it must be said that all of this confusion, drama, and ongoing anxiety for parents and providers is caused by the fact that the MoCo guidance differs from the state's. Why is this? What data does DHHS have that justifies discriminating between children over and under 5 and making other unnecessary departures from MD guidance? In addition: 1. On page 3, for persons under 5, it still says at the top: "Day 1-10: Stay home." This will perpetuate providers' confusion about whether or not a 5-day quarantine is permitted for this age group. 2. The final FAQ is extremely problematic. Its first sentence either contains a typo or a deliberate contradiction with the earlier guidance by stating: "It is our guidance that children under 5 who are EXPOSED to COVID-19 remain in isolation for the full 10 days." Page 3 states that children under 5 may return from post-exposure quarantine after 5 days under certain conditions. 2 (cont'd). Same FAQ says: "Children under 5 are developmentally less able to consistently wear masks around others or socially distance during unmasked activities." There is no need for this additional editorializing by DHHS. MD's guidance includes the simple acknowledgement that children must eat and sleep and that unmasked time should be minimized and physical distancing/ventilation maximized. If DHHS doesn't think our kids can mask effectively, let's have the conversation about making their masking optional. 3. Page 4: Why - again, in contravention of state policy - does DHHS permit an exemption from quarantine for people who were recently infected only if they are vaccinated? What science supports this? Parents are utterly exhausted by this. Please help us understand why DHHS is imposing these deviations from state guidance that are making our lives extremely challenging. |
Anonymous
. Wow. The January 25 memo is completely different than the January 16 memo, the latter of which followed state guidelines. It even had an exception to masking for meals and naps whereas this one explicitly says children under 5 cannot consistently mask because of meals and naps! WTF is wrong with DHHS? |
Anonymous
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The town hall last night that cleared up a lot of the confusion. In case it's helpful to you or others, here's an email I sent to my center as a follow-up to the town hall:
// I was able to participate and take detailed notes on last night's childcare town hall (which was recorded if anyone missed it - https://www.facebook.com/montgomerycountyinfo/videos/616868016206965). I've connected with many other families who are eager for [our center] to update its COVID-19 policies now that the county has provided clarity on multiple issues. Many of our current policies were crafted in the early days of the pandemic and our leading public health entities have recognized that they are no longer useful. I believe the key issues are: 1. Decision-making on adherence to Montgomery County or Maryland guidance: The panelists stated repeatedly that DHHS guidance is just that and that it is NOT a mandate. They informed providers that they are free to choose to implement it or to follow the guidance provided by the state of Maryland. I and many other parents strongly feel that the Maryland guidance is clearer, aligns with the CDC, and does not discriminate between children over and under 5, which the DHHS guidance does with no data-based explanation. 2. Quarantines for children under 5: The panelists clarified that the DHHS guidance (like the Maryland guidance) permits a 5-day quarantine for exposed children under 5 so long as they test negative, are asymptomatic, and can mask. 3. Test-to-stay (TTS): Dr. James Bridges enthusiastically announced to providers that they are definitely permitted to implement a test-to-stay program. He stated that information on this is available on the DHHS website and that they can offer additional guidance in a separate forum if requested. He noted that they would appreciate the submission of a plan for such a program to the health department, but that this is not a requirement. I cannot overstate how important TTS, as a replacement for close contact quarantines, is to families. With the inevitable persistence of Omicron, which will continue to circulate given its immunity-evading properties, it is imperative that we develop policies that will avoid sending healthy children home at all costs. Please bear in mind that providers should not have to administer tests; parents could do that and demonstrate to the center that their children continue to test negative. 4. Testing method: The panelists affirmed that antigen (rapid) testing is acceptable. 5. Travel policies: Dr. Bridgers stated that there is no need for childcare providers to have travel policies in place, as COVID-19 is just as present here as it is in any other state. |
Anonymous
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Thanks for the notes. Does this mean that under five do not need to mask? That’s a Montgomery county rule, it’s not state rule.
We also need to keep in mind that daycares and preschools are businesses that can have more restrictive policies and rules then what the state and county mandate. |
Anonymous
Most daycares actually cite the state's "strong recommendation" that children 2+ wear mask, rather than the MoCo mask mandate (which applies to places that are "accessible to the public," so arguably, not daycares.) So until the state guidance changes, I think many providers will still require masking. We're working on changing that state guidance!! And yes, correct about daycares choosing to be stricter. But it may be hard for them to justify doing so when it represents a departure from CDC, state, and county guidance, as well as what other providers in the county are doing. |
Anonymous
All this is pure bull because they/we have thought it was a mandate because they have PRESENTED it as a mandate. This is the first I and other daycares hear that all of this is optional. They are or have been flat out lying or trying to save face. I started listening and in 23:50 daycares can be more conservative in their rules. |
Anonymous
| And they just said that after 5 days kids can return to SCHOOL or daycare and that's not what MCPS is doing. My HS son is out for 10 days despite being able to wear a KN95 all day. |
Anonymous
| The letter of approval TTS is news to me. What letter? Are there any other daycares on this thread? |
Anonymous
Totally news to me too. Would love to hear from a provider. |
Anonymous
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I’m not trying to sock puppet but I am coming back to the thread with quasi live reactions.
The fact that they’re saying all of this was guidance and not mandatory is a flat out lie or misrepresentation of what we have been told this entire time. And yes we are mandating masks under five because if we don’t We have been written up by our specialists (each of whom has their own interpretation of all of this) and parents read the reports and think we’re awful daycares. I’m completely in the dark about this test to stay letter. I have not received any communication. But all of this is meaningless if it’s all guidance and we don’t have to do it we can just either go back to how we did things pre-Covid or be more conservative in our regulations. It’s all a tossup and doesn’t help us. It puts us at odds with bully parents who want to dictate how we run our businesses. Some of us are family daycares, Some have multiple centers and everybody is told differently. I’m trying to do my best and be in compliance but all of this conflict information is upsetting. |