Daycare says can’t come with a runny nose

[Anonymous]

Our daycare is doing a great job with COVID precautions. I’ve been really impressed with their enforcement for kids, teachers, and families. But they just sent a letter home that said kids with runny noses will be sent home and can’t return until “resolved.” This seems a little excessive. Wondering if other daycare are saying/enforcing this.

[Anonymous]

Runny noses tend to come from other kids being sent to school with runny noses. Will be interesting to see what happens when only healthy kids are allowed to show up - I suspect your kid will be a lot less sick.

[Anonymous]

Used to be the rule at ours, now for just a runny nose with no other symptoms they are to stay home for 24 hours to monitor then can return as long as they don't get any worse.

If the staff get just a runny nose they have to get a negative test or be out 10 days though. So runny noses are not really welcomed.

[Anonymous]

For ours there is a "any of these symptoms" list and an "any TWO of these symptoms list." That said, they are just trying to be safe.

[Anonymous]

That’s a little insane. Ours has been open the entire time and the bar is a fever or a persistent cough. Only one case — one teacher who didn’t spread it to anyone else.

[Anonymous]

Yes, they are trying to prioritize safety, which is in EVERYONE's best interest.

That said, both of my children would get runny noses every time they were teething. You could tell it was teething-related because they would also start gnawing on everything and shove their fists/hands in their mouths. Then, sure enough, you could feel/see their new teeth.

So, in the daycare years, some flexibility might be warranted. Runny noses AND another symptom might be more appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, they are trying to prioritize safety, which is in EVERYONE's best interest.

That said, both of my children would get runny noses every time they were teething. You could tell it was teething-related because they would also start gnawing on everything and shove their fists/hands in their mouths. Then, sure enough, you could feel/see their new teeth.

So, in the daycare years, some flexibility might be warranted. Runny noses AND another symptom might be more appropriate.

Or they caught the runny nose from sticking all sorts of germy things in their mouth while teething.

[Anonymous]

If kids can’t come in with a runny nose, then there would be essentially no kids there the entire winter.

I guess that’s one way to prevent COVID from spreading.

[Anonymous]

Ours is an honor system of stay at home if it's unusual for your child. So runny nose from allergies is treated different than runny nose from a cold.

[Anonymous]

Same. No runny noses and sent home immediately if you try.

[Anonymous]

Yup, same with our daycare. Our kids have been home for over two weeks.

[Anonymous]

Our daycare excludes for runny nose accompanied by a fever or other symptom, but not just a runny nose alone.

[Anonymous]

Same. No even slightly runny nose.

[Anonymous]

Ours follows the MD regs. From our daycare’s COVID-19 Policy:

Per MSDE, COVID-19 like illness is defined as any one of the following:
Cough
Shortness of breath
Difficulty breathing
New loss of taste or smell

OR

At Least 2 of the following:
Fever of 100.4° or higher
Chills or shaking chills
Muscles aches
Sore throat
Headache
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Fatigue
Congestion or runny nose

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our daycare is doing a great job with COVID precautions. I’ve been really impressed with their enforcement for kids, teachers, and families. But they just sent a letter home that said kids with runny noses will be sent home and can’t return until “resolved.” This seems a little excessive. Wondering if other daycare are saying/enforcing this.

Yes, my center is doing this. Requires negative covid test results or doctor's note.

I thought it was overkill until I heard of an acquaintance in this area who tested positive only with a runny nose. That shocked me.