New CDC guidance for child care

[Anonymous]

Months after introducing the "Community levels" framework for COVID prevention strategies the CDC has finally updated its guidance for child care. On the one hand they finally acknowledge that the value of masking may be limited in this population. On the other hand they are doubling down on 10 day quarantines for children who cannot yet be vaccinated, which makes me want to scream. It should be 10 day quarantines for everyone or for nobody.

Age of population served: Layered prevention strategies that are most suitable for young children should be given special consideration. For instance, the majority of children served by ECEs are not yet eligible for vaccines. Young children may also have difficulty wearing a well-fitting mask consistently and correctly, and children under 2 years old should not wear masks. For these reasons, additional layered prevention strategies—such as encouraging vaccination among staff and others around young children, improved ventilation, cohorting, and avoiding crowded spaces—should be considered first.

Quarantine is a strategy used to prevent transmission of COVID-19 by keeping people who have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 apart from others. Recommendations for close contacts to quarantine, wear a well-fitting mask, and get tested will vary depending on vaccination status and history of prior COVID-19 infection. Regardless of the current COVID-19 Community Level, people who have come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should follow the recommendations outlined on the COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation webpage. This includes in K-12 schools and ECE settings. K-12 schools may consider TTS, which can keep those who would otherwise need to quarantine in in-person learning.

For children not yet eligible for COVID-19 vaccination who cannot wear a mask, or may have difficulty consistently wearing a well-fitting mask, it is safest to quarantine for a full 10 days. For more information, see Isolation and Quarantine in Early Care and Education Programs.

[Anonymous]

And here is the link
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12-childcare-guidance.html

[Anonymous]

More evidence that none of the people making these decisions have young children. It's maddening. And the concession on masks was way too wishy-washy.

Our daycare was finally following the option to test after a 5 day quarantine and now I'm worried we'll go back to 10 days again- argh.

[Anonymous]

Well then they better authorize the vaccine soon, like yesterday. It will probably be pointless for this age group from a health perspective but if that's what they are tying quarantines to then give parents the option already.

[Anonymous]

It looks like they are maintaining a five-day quarantine/isolation period, not ten days. That's frustrating but still better than last year. I do wish they would implement test to stay for early childhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well then they better authorize the vaccine soon, like yesterday. It will probably be pointless for this age group from a health perspective but if that's what they are tying quarantines to then give parents the option already.

This. I know my kids are still going to get infected and that they were never going to be hospitalized anyway. But vaccines are 100% effective at preventing quarantines, and I am ready!

[Anonymous]

Even with the mask piece it's irritating that they throw in the line about "ECE programs may choose to implement universal indoor mask use to meet the needs of the families they serve, which could include people at risk for getting very sick with COVID-19." Translation: CDC wants to give cover to providers that want to cater to super COVID cautious families and does not care to investigate whether masking is effective in this population or whether concerns about the impacts of masking on children's speech and social development have any merit (yes yes, I know, YOUR child is developing normally and/or YOUR child had speech delays before the pandemic, so these concerns are obviously misguided because you know everything about every child and how masks impact them you self-righteous POS).

[Anonymous]

wtf happened to “test to stay”? we’re 2.5 yrs in, the focus needs to be on minimizing disruption.

[Anonymous]

They should really ditch masks for under 5s permanently. This is insanity. The rest of the world knows it.

[Anonymous]

Wish the US would go the way of England and ditch quarantines, testing when asymptomatic, etc. Life would be so much easier.

[Anonymous]

I've been watching this closely. My youngest is going to be in Pre-K next year. I wish I knew what the plan would be next year...

I have friends whose kids have been out for 10 days like 5-6x this school year. Who could afford that on top of already paying for preschool?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even with the mask piece it's irritating that they throw in the line about "ECE programs may choose to implement universal indoor mask use to meet the needs of the families they serve, which could include people at risk for getting very sick with COVID-19." Translation: CDC wants to give cover to providers that want to cater to super COVID cautious families and does not care to investigate whether masking is effective in this population or whether concerns about the impacts of masking on children's speech and social development have any merit (yes yes, I know, YOUR child is developing normally and/or YOUR child had speech delays before the pandemic, so these concerns are obviously misguided because you know everything about every child and how masks impact them you self-righteous POS).

+1. The super vulnerable families I know are simply not using daycare right now. Covid recently spread through our masked daycare anyway, particularly the older classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well then they better authorize the vaccine soon, like yesterday. It will probably be pointless for this age group from a health perspective but if that's what they are tying quarantines to then give parents the option already.

By the time they get around to it there will be no kids in day care left to infect. Signed, a mom on day 1 of isolation - my toddler had no other potential sources of exposure....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More evidence that none of the people making these decisions have young children. It's maddening. And the concession on masks was way too wishy-washy.

Our daycare was finally following the option to test after a 5 day quarantine and now I'm worried we'll go back to 10 days again- argh.

+100

[Anonymous]

CDC still recommending punitive quarantined simply for being too young to be vaxxed, in the meantime...😡