If you're struggling with daycare quarantines (and live in MoCo)
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Anonymous
| ^^never mind I see the five years in the bullet below with the mask exception. |
Anonymous
| I got a response from a DHHS officer with an option to test out of quarantine after five days if the kid can mask. Not exactly what I was asking for, but encouraging. |
Anonymous
Are you a daycare provider? Ours is reportedly getting conflicting information from DHHS. |
Anonymous
PP here. No, just a parent who emailed to advocate for a test-out option as well as test-to-stay. I emailed all the DHHS contacts in this thread and heard back from Clark Beil. |
Anonymous
Our daycare was told this but "if the kid can mask" was interpreted as age 5. |
Anonymous
So they’re still trying to have it both ways then. 
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Anonymous
Right, I was told that kids under 5 cannot "wear a well-fitting mask." That language in the Jan 16 memo is the county's out. Recently our preschool class was exposed and the 5 year olds could return after 5 days but the 4 year olds had to quarantine for 10 though both groups were masks. I have written a letter to several individuals. I don't believe there is a shred of data that would indicate a 4 year old wears a mask less consistently than a 5 year old in preschool, or any kid in elementary school for that matter. |
Anonymous
PP here- interesting. I had emailed all those folks too but didn’t get a response (not that I expected any). But I will write again because it seems DHHS was being deliberately misleading and what I had seen as a partial victory was in fact nothing of the sort! |
Anonymous
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There's a new FB group for people who want to work on these issues - Childcare Normalcy Now:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/614497649624490/ |
Anonymous
Your child is in daycare and hasn’t had a single close contact with COVID? Don’t know how on earth that’s actually possible. |
Anonymous
Same with us. Why do you find it implausible? |
Anonymous
DP. We’ve only had one, amazingly, but it was 14 days (despite 2 negative tests). Constantly on edge about having another one because that is a long time. There are other classes at our center that have had multiple- a couple times there wasn’t even a positive case, the class was sent home whole one child was awaiting test results. Which is OTT but that’s what they were told to do by the health dept. |
Anonymous
Same here. How many cases in total has your center had? |
Anonymous
Same. Kids have been back in daycare since June 2020. Unmasked. No closures or quarantines. We have tested every cold or other illness and all negative. |
Anonymous
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An update. DHHS put out yet another version of the quarantine and isolation guidance (https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/Resources/Files/quarantine/I-Q-guidance.pdf) and it introduces a host of problems. Please see a sample email below to send to county leadership (Councilmembers, DHHS, the County Executive).
You can also sign up to attend tomorrow night's town hall (https://www.facebook.com/groups/614497649624490/permalink/615598009514454) with parents and providers on this topic if you can. Submit your questions in advance since I don't believe parents will be allowed to speak. // 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. |