So are some daycares and preschools planning on masking forever then?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don’t like where you are, find new care. Our in-home has never had kids masked. And while we still have to drop off at the door, we can see the entire space from the door. You have options, use them.

I think many people are frustrated that really only in home day cares seem to be mask optional in DC and MOCO. If you are happy with your situation that’s great but I feel strongly that an in home daycare would not work well for my 4 year old and while I would move him over this issue, there are no preschools to move him to. It’s a big issue but it’s not the only issue.

Yes this. Plus it’s not easy to just find a new daycare at the drop of a hat

[Anonymous]

I think most places are still waiting on updated health guidance. No one wants to get out ahead of the official recommendations, and how could you blame them. Most kids survive COVID, but they’re not immune from significant consequences. And contrary to some, no one has definitively proven that masks are 100% ineffective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think most places are still waiting on updated health guidance. No one wants to get out ahead of the official recommendations, and how could you blame them. Most kids survive COVID, but they’re not immune from significant consequences. And contrary to some, no one has definitively proven that masks are 100% ineffective.

Agreed. The cdc early childhood guidance site was updated Friday with a blurb saying the new guidelines will be posted soon - I assume local authorities are waiting for that at least.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the basis for this question? Was there a statement released by county or state?

That's the problem. Silence after CDC guidelines have changed.

It's been a few days. How you jump from a few days to "forever" I don't know. Maybe you want impulsive childcare providers. I want thoughtful ones.

Honestly, I think it's the hysterical anti-maskers who are prolonging this. If you just calmed down, then your center would be able to trust that they could make a change, watch what happened, and then switch back if need be. But you're showing that they can't trust you, because you don't trust them.

[Anonymous]

Distraught? Near tears? How can you people be serious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the basis for this question? Was there a statement released by county or state?

That's the problem. Silence after CDC guidelines have changed.

It was just today. One day. It’s not like it’s been, forever.

It's been two full business days and plenty has happened for K-12. Nothing for 2-5 year olds.

It has always been this. General guidelines first, then they flow something down for childcare, then it comes down through state and county and city public health / licensing / bureaucracy.

Two business days? Give them a bit more time. Updated regs haven't even come down. (BTW, the majority of parents in many areas are still supportive of these mask mandates. I'm not, I don't think that should drive policy, but it is a data point to see why daycares aren't seeking to be at the forefront of a policiy change that will likely be controversial)

[Anonymous]

Our daycare is still officially masking but every time I’ve peeked in the classroom the kids have the masks on incorrectly so they don’t seem to be all that strict.

[Anonymous]

I work in the field. In DC masking for children over two is still REQUIRED by OSSE and DC DOH. They have not yet updated that guidance and it typically takes them several weeks to change their guidance after the CDC comes out with an update. Masks are optional outdoors.

VA just updated their guidance where they strongly encourage centers allow parents to decide whether or not their children wear masks. This was just out yesterday.

I don't work in MD so I haven't seen the latest guidance myself, but have heard that MOCO has lifted mask requirements. I don't know for sure though.

So in MD and VA, masks are up to the school, but in DC, masks are still required in ECE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in the field. In DC masking for children over two is still REQUIRED by OSSE and DC DOH. They have not yet updated that guidance and it typically takes them several weeks to change their guidance after the CDC comes out with an update. Masks are optional outdoors.

VA just updated their guidance where they strongly encourage centers allow parents to decide whether or not their children wear masks. This was just out yesterday.

I don't work in MD so I haven't seen the latest guidance myself, but have heard that MOCO has lifted mask requirements. I don't know for sure though.

So in MD and VA, masks are up to the school, but in DC, masks are still required in ECE.

In MoCo there has not been any county mandate for private schools, including preschools and daycares, for a while. However, the current guidance from the state and county is to strongly encourage universal masking for anyone over age 2. The MoCo acting chief health officer doubled down on that guidance at yesterday's Council session (citing "outbreaks" - what do poorly worn cloth masks do to help with that??). He also said once the CDC updates it's specific guidance for child care (they've ALREADY said it will align with community guidance so what's the wait??) AND the state updates its guidance, THEN the county will create it's OWN guidance because MoCo is so f&$cking special. So yes, we will have to wait several weeks before knowing whether MoCo will ask 2-5 year olds and their teachers to mask, and literally nobody else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don’t like where you are, find new care. Our in-home has never had kids masked. And while we still have to drop off at the door, we can see the entire space from the door. You have options, use them.

I think many people are frustrated that really only in home day cares seem to be mask optional in DC and MOCO. If you are happy with your situation that’s great but I feel strongly that an in home daycare would not work well for my 4 year old and while I would move him over this issue, there are no preschools to move him to. It’s a big issue but it’s not the only issue.

+1. We moved our DD from an in-home (where she didn't have to mask) to a center when she was 2.5 because our provider decided to close for family reasons. It was earlier than we wanted to move and we knew the center was requiring masks but we had a great experience there with our older DC and we didn't want to have to move her twice. And frankly, I was terribly naïve about how long this was going to go on. It's really starting to seem that some of these kids will be stuck in masks for years until they turn 5 and can get the vaccine. In fairness I can understand the center director's reluctance to make the call on this- it's MoCo so you have parents with differing opinions on masks- but they need clear guidance from the CDC, state, and county that masks can be optional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in the field. In DC masking for children over two is still REQUIRED by OSSE and DC DOH. They have not yet updated that guidance and it typically takes them several weeks to change their guidance after the CDC comes out with an update. Masks are optional outdoors.

VA just updated their guidance where they strongly encourage centers allow parents to decide whether or not their children wear masks. This was just out yesterday.

I don't work in MD so I haven't seen the latest guidance myself, but have heard that MOCO has lifted mask requirements. I don't know for sure though.

So in MD and VA, masks are up to the school, but in DC, masks are still required in ECE.

In MoCo there has not been any county mandate for private schools, including preschools and daycares, for a while. However, the current guidance from the state and county is to strongly encourage universal masking for anyone over age 2. The MoCo acting chief health officer doubled down on that guidance at yesterday's Council session (citing "outbreaks" - what do poorly worn cloth masks do to help with that??). He also said once the CDC updates it's specific guidance for child care (they've ALREADY said it will align with community guidance so what's the wait??) AND the state updates its guidance, THEN the county will create it's OWN guidance because MoCo is so f&$cking special. So yes, we will have to wait several weeks before knowing whether MoCo will ask 2-5 year olds and their teachers to mask, and literally nobody else.

So don’t wait for MoCo. Push for your child care center/preschool to change policies on the basis of the CDC guidance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our daycare is still officially masking but every time I’ve peeked in the classroom the kids have the masks on incorrectly so they don’t seem to be all that strict.

Of course, because it’s impossible to keep masks on toddlers and preschoolers. Even more reason to say the mask policies are ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in the field. In DC masking for children over two is still REQUIRED by OSSE and DC DOH. They have not yet updated that guidance and it typically takes them several weeks to change their guidance after the CDC comes out with an update. Masks are optional outdoors.

VA just updated their guidance where they strongly encourage centers allow parents to decide whether or not their children wear masks. This was just out yesterday.

I don't work in MD so I haven't seen the latest guidance myself, but have heard that MOCO has lifted mask requirements. I don't know for sure though.

So in MD and VA, masks are up to the school, but in DC, masks are still required in ECE.

In MoCo there has not been any county mandate for private schools, including preschools and daycares, for a while. However, the current guidance from the state and county is to strongly encourage universal masking for anyone over age 2. The MoCo acting chief health officer doubled down on that guidance at yesterday's Council session (citing "outbreaks" - what do poorly worn cloth masks do to help with that??). He also said once the CDC updates it's specific guidance for child care (they've ALREADY said it will align with community guidance so what's the wait??) AND the state updates its guidance, THEN the county will create it's OWN guidance because MoCo is so f&$cking special. So yes, we will have to wait several weeks before knowing whether MoCo will ask 2-5 year olds and their teachers to mask, and literally nobody else.

So don’t wait for MoCo. Push for your child care center/preschool to change policies on the basis of the CDC guidance.

NP but you have seen the reaction on this thread. Suggesting that wet cloth masks worn intermittently isn’t effective is equated with being anti science. I am terrified to admit to being mask skeptical in the real world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the basis for this question? Was there a statement released by county or state?

That's the problem. Silence after CDC guidelines have changed.

It's been a few days. How you jump from a few days to "forever" I don't know. Maybe you want impulsive childcare providers. I want thoughtful ones.

Honestly, I think it's the hysterical anti-maskers who are prolonging this. If you just calmed down, then your center would be able to trust that they could make a change, watch what happened, and then switch back if need be. But you're showing that they can't trust you, because you don't trust them.

WTF? I have never been "hysterical" to our center. When they've distributed surveys I've expressed my honest opinion and that is it. But they've been clear that they will follow the guidance from the county and state, it really doesn't matter what we say. The state is silent and the county always muddles things by creating their own special guidance to show how covid-cautious they are, and nothing changes.

But if you're a center director who is basing their policy on a couple "hysterical" parents on either side of an issue, you have major problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work in the field. In DC masking for children over two is still REQUIRED by OSSE and DC DOH. They have not yet updated that guidance and it typically takes them several weeks to change their guidance after the CDC comes out with an update. Masks are optional outdoors.

VA just updated their guidance where they strongly encourage centers allow parents to decide whether or not their children wear masks. This was just out yesterday.

I don't work in MD so I haven't seen the latest guidance myself, but have heard that MOCO has lifted mask requirements. I don't know for sure though.

So in MD and VA, masks are up to the school, but in DC, masks are still required in ECE.

In MoCo there has not been any county mandate for private schools, including preschools and daycares, for a while. However, the current guidance from the state and county is to strongly encourage universal masking for anyone over age 2. The MoCo acting chief health officer doubled down on that guidance at yesterday's Council session (citing "outbreaks" - what do poorly worn cloth masks do to help with that??). He also said once the CDC updates it's specific guidance for child care (they've ALREADY said it will align with community guidance so what's the wait??) AND the state updates its guidance, THEN the county will create it's OWN guidance because MoCo is so f&$cking special. So yes, we will have to wait several weeks before knowing whether MoCo will ask 2-5 year olds and their teachers to mask, and literally nobody else.

So don’t wait for MoCo. Push for your child care center/preschool to change policies on the basis of the CDC guidance.

Obviously people can do that. But this is an issue of public health and the public health authorities are failing. We need to hold them accountable as well