Covid at your daycare?

[Anonymous]

Debating whether to put our toddler back in daycare. I’ve heard from one that they’ve had at least three cases of Covid (staff) since reopening in July. This seems very high to me. Instead of calling every other daycare to find out what their story is, have you experienced or heard of a lot of other cases of Covid for either families or staff?

[Anonymous]

OP here - sorry, I just saw someone else recently asked this same question! I’m sleep deprived. I would still welcome any accounts (with details!)

[Anonymous]

Our daycare has been open since June - no cases (knock wood).

[Anonymous]

Our daycare had one case since March.

[Anonymous]

The larger the daycare the more instances you will have. In home potentially is safer since you are limiting vectors.

[Anonymous]

My 3 year old has been in daycare since March. They have had 1 case which was a teacher, no spread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The larger the daycare the more instances you will have. In home potentially is safer since you are limiting vectors.

Not necessarily true. Our center normally has 250 kids. Right now they're operating at 75% capacity, per MD requirements. They've had 1 case this entire time. It was a part-time teacher. She's fine now and didn't spread it to anyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Debating whether to put our toddler back in daycare. I’ve heard from one that they’ve had at least three cases of Covid (staff) since reopening in July. This seems very high to me. Instead of calling every other daycare to find out what their story is, have you experienced or heard of a lot of other cases of Covid for either families or staff?

3 whole cases in 2 months? Big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The larger the daycare the more instances you will have. In home potentially is safer since you are limiting vectors.

Yeah logically this sounds like it should make sense, but in reality, you’re making some assumptions that are no longer accurate. Mainly, you’re assuming kids and teachers at larger centers are commingling the same way they did pre-Covid. That’s not the case. OSSE/DOH (in DC) set new guidelines for daycares to follow, including that children and teachers be kept in “pods” and not commingle. Daycares are also doing temp checks at the door, not allowing parents in to do drop-off (hand-off now happens at the door), etc. So basically, even at large daycares, each classroom is pretty self-contained. And because class sizes are limited to 8 kids and 2 teachers (10 people total), the risk is about the same at large centers as it is at small ones.

[Anonymous]

It can just be luck of the draw and honestly not have anything to do with the center. For instance, my aunt (who is an elementary school teacher) and uncle both got it last month even though they had been socially isolating. How? They caught it from their 21 year old son who had not when he hit injured and his dad had to pick him up from urgent care and he had to recoup at home for a week. Most staff who get it are getting it from family members who may get it on the job or who have 20 something year old kids that no one can control and aren’t showing symptoms. Again, luck of the draw. It can happen in any center but it’s not happening frequently and it’s been shown that mitigation measures are effective and it’s extremely rare for kids to infect others or to get really sick. I honestly wouldn’t worry if you trust the center otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The larger the daycare the more instances you will have. In home potentially is safer since you are limiting vectors.

This is absolutely not true. Larger has nothing to do with it. Effective health and safety protocols and teachers and parents adhering to the policies of the school matter. Your statement is naive at best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The larger the daycare the more instances you will have. In home potentially is safer since you are limiting vectors.

Yeah logically this sounds like it should make sense, but in reality, you’re making some assumptions that are no longer accurate. Mainly, you’re assuming kids and teachers at larger centers are commingling the same way they did pre-Covid. That’s not the case. OSSE/DOH (in DC) set new guidelines for daycares to follow, including that children and teachers be kept in “pods” and not commingle. Daycares are also doing temp checks at the door, not allowing parents in to do drop-off (hand-off now happens at the door), etc. So basically, even at large daycares, each classroom is pretty self-contained. And because class sizes are limited to 8 kids and 2 teachers (10 people total), the risk is about the same at large centers as it is at small ones.

We really don't know what the difference in the risk is. And I'm someone who moved her child back to her old center from a home daycare (both are great - it was a tough choice). I agonized over the decision, but when I spoke with a friend and her husband who are uniquely knowledgeable about this stuff, they said we don't know what the difference in the risk is, and to just choose what we thing is best for our child's development. At our center the director checks all the kids in, so she's exposed to everyone. I don't think you can make the argument the "pods" are truly isolated from each other.

[Anonymous]

Ours has been open all summer, no masks, no cases.

[Anonymous]

Ours opened in July. We haven't been back yet, but did get a notification that one kid tested positive a few weeks ago. So far no other positives. I believe they shut that class down for a few weeks.

[Anonymous]

Small home day care. Open the entire time. No cases.