Reply to No care for over a month

Forum Index » Preschool and Daycare Discussion

Reply to "No care for over a month"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP, (and others in similar situations) - I'm so sorry, but there are some really hopeful signs lately. I'm working with a group of parents that is advocating to improve these policies. Please see below for the action alert and update we circulated today.

More big news on the daycare front!

D.C. just announced that it will be rolling out test-to-stay in early childhood education programs. (See page 9 of today's situational update from the Mayor: https://mayor.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/coronavirus/page_content/attachments/Situational-Update-Presentation_01-10-22.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3dAmWXsrJII1bZ6gFxfMNh5jBLD8YusAAwQWVDAI3hQMHvw2iexPL76XY#page=9).

If you're in D.C., contact the officials below to urge them to implement the test-to-stay immediately in all daycares.

If you're in MoCo, reach out to the officials below and ask that MoCo implement test-to-stay for daycare programs in addition to ratifying the state's new K-12 and childcare isolation and quarantine guidance (https://health.maryland.gov/phpa/Documents/01.06.2022%20Memo%20School%20Childcare%20Guidance.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3Sz37YDvwGfjjMqn5JQideKmLWgRRlASVSdyCbKNPK-KYlCjAOWZVf5mQ).

List of local officials again and a sample message below.

OFFICIALS TO CONTACT:

D.C. OFFICE OF THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT FOR EDUCATION
- Dr. Christina Grant (Acting State Superintendent of Education) / (202) 727-6436 / Christina.Grantdc.gov
- David Esquith (Director of Policy and Planning, Health and Wellness Division) / David.Esquithdc.gov
- Tia Bromsted (Deputy Assistant Superintendent, Health and Wellness) / Tia.Brumsteddc.gov

DC HEALTH
- Director LaQuandra Nesbitt / (202) 442-5955 / dohdc.gov
- Jacqueline Watson (Chief of Staff to the Director) / (202) 442-5955 / jacqueline.watsondc.gov
- Matteo Lieb (Legislative Affairs Director) / (202)-442-5955 / matteo.liebdc.gov
- Patrick Ashley (Health and Medical Branch Director, COVID Operations Section and Senior Deputy Director, DC Health, Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Administration) / Patrick.Ashley@dc.gov

DC Council: https://dccouncil.us/councilmembers/

MONTGOMERY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
- James C. Bridgers, DHHS Deputy Health Officer / 240-777-4253 / james.bridgers@montgomerycountymd.gov
- Clark Beil, Senior Administrator for Licensure and Regulatory Services / o: 240-777-3831 / c: 240-832-6823 / clark.beil@montgomerycountymd.gov
- Kenneth Welch, Environmental Health Manager / 240-777-3840/ Kenneth.Welch@montgomerycountymd.gov
COUNTY EXECUTIVE:
- Mark Elrich, County Executive / marc.elrich@montgomerycountymd.gov
- Earl Stoddard, Chief Administrative Officer for Health and Human Services / earl.stoddard@montgomerycountymd.gov
- Sonia Mora, Senior Manager, MoCo Health and Human Services / sonia.mora@montgomerycountymd.gov

- Montgomery County Councilmembers: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COU.../members/index.html

SAMPLE MESSAGE:
[i]I'm the parent of two children in childcare, and I'm writing to urge you to immediately ratify the state's updated isolation and quarantine guidance for childcare programs. 
Parents are being absolutely devastated by the current daycare quarantine policies, which send healthy children home for up to 14 days at a time.

I have personally experienced 56 days of unplanned childcare and lost work because of this policy. I know a family on their third 14-day quarantine in 6 weeks. A single mom with 3 kids who is having to choose between her job and caring for her children. It goes on.

Every single day that a daycare center is closed or a healthy child is quarantined means that a parent, usually a mother, is being sidelined from her job.

In addition to ratifying the state's new guidance, please follow D.C.'s lead and also authorize childcare programs to implement test-to-stay (TTS), which is approved by the CDC for unvaccinated children. TTS is the best way to keep children in care and safeguard parents' jobs. If it is logistically challenging for daycare centers to administer tests, please provide guidance that allows parents to test their children and demonstrate to the center that they are negative.

The state's new guidance permits children to return from isolation and quarantine so long as they mask at all times other than when eating and napping. The same prerequisite can apply for children participating in TTS. Please do not continue to make our children mask in daycare while requiring quarantines that treat them as if they are unmasked all day. 
We can all take comfort in the fact that there is ample real-world evidence that young children’s close contacts rarely develop COVID-19. More to the point, virtually no other countries quarantine unmasked exposed toddlers and preschoolers, with no adverse outcomes.

I’m frankly begging you to address this. We parents are running out of paid leave and losing our jobs over the current daycare quarantine policies. Our livelihoods are at stake.[/i][/quote]

Thank you for this! I’m in MoCo and have been feeling rather helpless.  During our recent 14 day quarantine, I was honest to god wishing for a positive test to break out of this cycle.  Which is a terrible thought to have.  [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics