We've been back at daycare for three months now. The first two months went really smoothly--kid didn't even get sick. Then there was a non-covid cold that went through the classroom. A couple weeks ago, a teacher began quarantining after a family member tested positive for COVID, and a few days later she tested positive too. That classroom was closed, and no children contracted COVID from the teacher.

Based on our experience, I would say that the various protective measures (temperature checks, masking by older kids/teachers, and no mixing) have reduced but not eliminated the risk of a disease spreading. There are fewer colds going around than before, but not none. Teachers do seem to be at increased risk, though I think that's unfortunately due to the fact that lower income people are generally more likely to be essential workers required to go out in public--the teacher who tested positive got it from a family member, and at least one other teacher has been quarantined because of a family member testing positive. On the other hand, none of the kids or their parents have tested positive since the daycare reopened.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Indeed. And did yuo read the article that reproted findings that kids, even asymptomatic kids, carry a much higher viral load than even extremely sick adults?

Indeed. And have you also read that it’s very unlikely that children pass the virus to caregivers?

Cmon. If you’re looking to convince someone that daycare is unsafe because there’s risk, then you’ll have an easy time of it. There is risk. We have decided that the risk is sufficiently low such that our kids are in daycare. That’s the right choice for us.

How do people believe that kids don’t transmit coronavirus? Have they never been around children before? What is this magical thinking around coronavirus that it is somehow so much harder to catch than a stomach bug or seasonal cold?

I don’t think it’s magical thinking when it’s actually reflected in the contact tracing numbers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Indeed. And did yuo read the article that reproted findings that kids, even asymptomatic kids, carry a much higher viral load than even extremely sick adults?

Indeed. And have you also read that it’s very unlikely that children pass the virus to caregivers?

Cmon. If you’re looking to convince someone that daycare is unsafe because there’s risk, then you’ll have an easy time of it. There is risk. We have decided that the risk is sufficiently low such that our kids are in daycare. That’s the right choice for us.

How do people believe that kids don’t transmit coronavirus? Have they never been around children before? What is this magical thinking around coronavirus that it is somehow so much harder to catch than a stomach bug or seasonal cold?

Anonymous wrote:If you send your kids to daycare there is a realistic chance they could get COVID there. We've been back since the beginning of July with no issues, but that doesn't mean I don't think it's possible. You are either willing to take that risk or you aren't.

+1

Anonymous wrote:If you send your kids to daycare there is a realistic chance they could get COVID there. We've been back since the beginning of July with no issues, but that doesn't mean I don't think it's possible. You are either willing to take that risk or you aren't.

This. Most who send their kids to daycare or school so so accepting the risk that they may get Covid and assuming they will handle it fine. Don’t send your kids to daycare if your goal is to avoid Covid at all costs.

If you send your kids to daycare there is a realistic chance they could get COVID there. We've been back since the beginning of July with no issues, but that doesn't mean I don't think it's possible. You are either willing to take that risk or you aren't.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Indeed. And did yuo read the article that reproted findings that kids, even asymptomatic kids, carry a much higher viral load than even extremely sick adults?

Indeed. And have you also read that it’s very unlikely that children pass the virus to caregivers?

Cmon. If you’re looking to convince someone that daycare is unsafe because there’s risk, then you’ll have an easy time of it. There is risk. We have decided that the risk is sufficiently low such that our kids are in daycare. That’s the right choice for us.

Same.

Anonymous wrote:Indeed. And did yuo read the article that reproted findings that kids, even asymptomatic kids, carry a much higher viral load than even extremely sick adults?

Indeed. And have you also read that it’s very unlikely that children pass the virus to caregivers?

Cmon. If you’re looking to convince someone that daycare is unsafe because there’s risk, then you’ll have an easy time of it. There is risk. We have decided that the risk is sufficiently low such that our kids are in daycare. That’s the right choice for us.

Indeed. And did yuo read the article that reproted findings that kids, even asymptomatic kids, carry a much higher viral load than even extremely sick adults?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been in daycare for a month. They have not been sick. Yes, they are more likely to come home with a runny nose because having a runny nose is not something that keeps you from participating in life. Kids with runny noses get sent to daycare. Kids with COVID do not.

You deceive yourself. Of course there will be kids with covid sent to daycare and school.

I’m speaking generally. No one who sends their kids to daycare is deceiving themselves. We’ve considered he decision carefully.

DP. I’m not sure what your response means. Of course kids with covid will be sent to daycare; asymptomatic means you don’t know if you or your kid has it or not, unless you were just tested. Do you mean kids will not be sent to daycare if they are known to have covid? OP’s point is that if the risk mitigation isn’t protecting against colds, then how can she trust that it protects against covid? I don’t know the answer, but it’s a valid concern.

In the pre COVID world, people sent their kids all the time knowing that they had illness. Now the threshold for sending those kids to daycare is higher. That’s what it means.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been in daycare for a month. They have not been sick. Yes, they are more likely to come home with a runny nose because having a runny nose is not something that keeps you from participating in life. Kids with runny noses get sent to daycare. Kids with COVID do not.

You deceive yourself. Of course there will be kids with covid sent to daycare and school.

I’m speaking generally. No one who sends their kids to daycare is deceiving themselves. We’ve considered he decision carefully.

DP. I’m not sure what your response means. Of course kids with covid will be sent to daycare; asymptomatic means you don’t know if you or your kid has it or not, unless you were just tested. Do you mean kids will not be sent to daycare if they are known to have covid? OP’s point is that if the risk mitigation isn’t protecting against colds, then how can she trust that it protects against covid? I don’t know the answer, but it’s a valid concern.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been in daycare for a month. They have not been sick. Yes, they are more likely to come home with a runny nose because having a runny nose is not something that keeps you from participating in life. Kids with runny noses get sent to daycare. Kids with COVID do not.

You deceive yourself. Of course there will be kids with covid sent to daycare and school.

I’m speaking generally. No one who sends their kids to daycare is deceiving themselves. We’ve considered he decision carefully.

Anonymous wrote:My kids have been in daycare for a month. They have not been sick. Yes, they are more likely to come home with a runny nose because having a runny nose is not something that keeps you from participating in life. Kids with runny noses get sent to daycare. Kids with COVID do not.

You deceive yourself. Of course there will be kids with covid sent to daycare and school.

My kids have been in daycare for a month. They have not been sick. Yes, they are more likely to come home with a runny nose because having a runny nose is not something that keeps you from participating in life. Kids with runny noses get sent to daycare. Kids with COVID do not.

We are a former daycare family and would love to go back, but have been hesitant due to COVID risk. Most of our friends' kids are back in daycare and they are all coming home sick now, with stomach bugs, colds, the typical daycare viruses that we were used to getting when DC was enrolled. If these viruses are being spread, despite all the "precautions" -- what makes people think that the risk of COVID is reduced? It seems inevitable that if a family gets COVID, the kids in that room will also be exposed.

It also seems like the classes/schools are NOT shutting down when a child gets sick with congestion/fever/gastro issues, unless there is a positive test. But since testing is so poor, and not really enforced, how is this supposed to help?

I think if rates of infection in the DC area stay low, this is less of an issue, but is anyone else concerned about this? Or am I being crazy?