Day care providers not using masks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where is this and what do the regulations say? Does your kid wear one (if they are 2+)?

This is in MD. I believe the regulations say mask up but I'm not sure if it's recommended or required - don't know why the provider wouldn't do it if it is required.

All of the kids are under 3 and none wear masks. Mine just turned one. I do not expect the 2 year olds to. They are 2.

To the PP who said why don't I just quit my job - that's what I'm really trying NOT to do, thanks! I am trying to get a sense of what is a reasonable and rational approach to take here, both interpersonally and in terms of requirements and scientific evidence.

Regulations for centers in MD say kids wear a mask on their second birthday. And providers. It seems silly to me since they take them off to eat and sleep, and that’s most the day for little kids! But viral load matters, so I guess it’s better than nothing. I know many of the two year olds at my center don’t really wear a mask, though mine doesn’t mind it.

This is false. MDH/MSDE say kids older than 5 should wear masks, which is consistent with recommendations from the WHO which say kids younger than 5 should not be required to wear masks.

You may be confused because Montgomery County includes kids older than 2 in their general mask order (which doesn't include daycares, which the executive order says are covered by MDH/MSDE guidance). I believe MoCo is the only jurisdiction in this area that attempts to apply the mask order to 2 year olds.

I meant to provide a reference. Look here:
https://earlychildhood.marylandpublicschools.org/system/files/filedepot/3/covid_guidance_full_080420.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a home daycare provider. I wear a mask and face shield the majority of the day, as that is what is recommended in my area. Even with that and all the extra cleaning and hand washing we have had 3 colds go through. Considerably less illness than usual though.

At what points do you take it off?

Nap, when they are all asleep, and I can sit a good distance away while watching them. Sometimes a quick break outside when I flip the shield up and pull the mask down, when they are playing further away. We are to minimise that though to avoid handling the shield and mask. We are to sanitise hands to remove & put back on. It feels burdensome at first, but you do get used to it.

I applaud you, I commend you and you truly are doing gods work by watching children. My comment isn’t geared at you.

These regulations asking in-home providers to wear their masks on all day in their own home it’s nothing but cover your ass politics by licensing. The second you take your mask off, any mask wearing done throughout the day was irrelevant. In this person‘s case she wears her mask on all the time except when the kids are napping, but you’re in the same space so you’re sharing the same air.

And unless you are asking these in-home providers to wear their masks on all the time in their own homes or not use the areas for daycare for their own home use and it doesn’t matter if they’re using masks when the children are present. If they are asymptomatic the droplets land on all the surfaces that get touched (and masked or unmasked the kids touch their masks.

Also in-home regulations are specific that the kids must be supervised the entire time meaning you have to be in the same rooms as the kids and requiring someone to wear their mask the entire time, many daycare providers are open 12 hours a day, is unrealistic and too much to ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course they're supposed to wear masks indoors and when they're not socially distancing. You idiots are never going to get it, are you.

Thanks! Super helpful. So if this were your provider what would you, not an idiot, do?

[Anonymous]

They should wear masks to protect themselves from infection, and from protecting the other workers. How is this even a question? Yes, I would take my child out of that setting.

[Anonymous]

I would definitely bring up the increasing COVID #s and limited hospital capacity and ask if they plan to mask up. If not, I'd look for a new daycare, not in a panic though. I like to decrease risk wherever I can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is an interesting stat.

https://www.facebook.com/146221808914855/posts/1539863049550717/?extid=0&d=n

Keep in mind different jurisdictions use different definitions for outbreak, but it is almost *never* restricted to case that included a transmission in the venue/setting. As such, you'd certainly always expect cases in centers to roughly track with settings in the community, since that's where the kids and workers are picking COVID up.

Yeah, I work at a mid-sized center in DC, in a ward with a high number of cases. In 5 months of being open, we’ve had one case, in a child. We wear masks religiously.

[Anonymous]

I can't believe you ever were okay with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where is this and what do the regulations say? Does your kid wear one (if they are 2+)?

This is in MD. I believe the regulations say mask up but I'm not sure if it's recommended or required - don't know why the provider wouldn't do it if it is required.

All of the kids are under 3 and none wear masks. Mine just turned one. I do not expect the 2 year olds to. They are 2.

To the PP who said why don't I just quit my job - that's what I'm really trying NOT to do, thanks! I am trying to get a sense of what is a reasonable and rational approach to take here, both interpersonally and in terms of requirements and scientific evidence.

Regulations for centers in MD say kids wear a mask on their second birthday. And providers. It seems silly to me since they take them off to eat and sleep, and that’s most the day for little kids! But viral load matters, so I guess it’s better than nothing. I know many of the two year olds at my center don’t really wear a mask, though mine doesn’t mind it.

This is false. MDH/MSDE say kids older than 5 should wear masks, which is consistent with recommendations from the WHO which say kids younger than 5 should not be required to wear masks.

You may be confused because Montgomery County includes kids older than 2 in their general mask order (which doesn't include daycares, which the executive order says are covered by MDH/MSDE guidance). I believe MoCo is the only jurisdiction in this area that attempts to apply the mask order to 2 year olds.

I think the county is deliberately causing confusion on this- our daycare center requires masks starting at 2, citing the county regulations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe you ever were okay with this.

+1. Either buck up and pull your kid or accept the large risk to your child.

[Anonymous]

Our center has providers wearing masks 24/7 and the kids are required to wear masks except when eating, sleeping, or outside. My son started back at 2.5 and doesnt have a problem with the masks. He wears them to play at the playground and we got fun prints. I fully EXPECT that providers would have masks on when caring for my kid.

[Anonymous]

The providers at my home day care wear them. My son is an infant so he can’t yet. Honestly While they probably help you kind of just accepting some risk. We just returned from a 2 week closure last week. Two toddlers plus a provider tested positive. Our family is healthy and I can’t work remotely so It is what it is but the risk is there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The providers at my home day care wear them. My son is an infant so he can’t yet. Honestly While they probably help you kind of just accepting some risk. We just returned from a 2 week closure last week. Two toddlers plus a provider tested positive. Our family is healthy and I can’t work remotely so It is what it is but the risk is there.

Do you know how they became infected?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The providers at my home day care wear them. My son is an infant so he can’t yet. Honestly While they probably help you kind of just accepting some risk. We just returned from a 2 week closure last week. Two toddlers plus a provider tested positive. Our family is healthy and I can’t work remotely so It is what it is but the risk is there.

Do you know how they became infected?

Did you have to quarantine for 14 days?