Many States have been gradually opening to return to “normal” operations amid the Covid-19 Pandemic. While some officials argue that it’s too soon. It’s becoming evident to some are ready, even if it means taking a huge risk.
Today the CDC releases what some may say A Quiet Release of a guide on methods and precautions that should be taken. These precautions affect our youngest neighbors, out children. CDC is continuing to work with state, tribal, local, and territorial leaders to provide technical assistance, and resources that can help support decisions about how Americans begin to re-engage in civic life while adhering to mitigation strategies such as social distancing, hand-washing and wearing face coverings.
Can your small children be trusted to keep masks on all day in school? Children over 2 may be required to do so in School and Daycare. Here is a brief look at some of the recommendations :
INTERIM GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOLS AND DAY CAMPS
As communities consider a gradual scale up of activities towards pre-COVID-19 operating practices in centers for learning, such as K-12 schools and summer day camps, CDC offers the following recommendations to keep communities safe while resuming peer-to-peer learning and providing crucial support for parents and guardians returning to work. These recommendations depend on community monitoring to prevent COVID-19 from spreading. Communities with low levels of COVID-19 spread and those with confidence that the incidence of infection is genuinely low (e.g., communities that remain in low transmission or that have entered Step 2 or 3) may put in place the practices described below as part of a gradual scale up of operations. All decisions about following these recommendations should be made in collaboration with local health officials and other State and local authorities who can help assess the current level of mitigation needed based on levels of COVID-19 community transmission and the capacities of the local public health and healthcare systems, among other relevant factors. CDC is releasing this interim guidance, laid out in a series of three steps, to inform a gradual scale up of operations. The scope and nature of community mitigation suggested decreases from Step 1 to Step 3. Some amount of community mitigation is necessary across all steps until a vaccine or therapeutic drug becomes widely available.
Scaling Up Operations
• In all Steps:
o Establish and maintain communication with local and State authorities to determine current
mitigation levels in your community.
o Protect and support staff and students who are at higher risk for severe illness, such as providing
options for telework and virtual learning.
o FollowCDC’sGuidanceforSchoolsandChildcarePrograms.
o Provide teachers and staff from higher transmission areas (earlier Step areas) telework and other
options as feasible to eliminate travel to schools and camps in lower transmission (later Step) areas
and vice versa.
o Encourage any other external community organizations that use the facilities also follow this
guidance.
• Step 1: Schools that are currently closed, remain closed. E-learning or distance learning opportunities
should be provided for all students. Support provision of student services such as school meal programs, as feasible. Camps should be restricted to children of essential workers and for children who live in the local geographic area only.
• Step 2: Remain open with enhanced social distancing measures and for children who live in the local geographic area only.
• Step 3: Remain open with distancing measures. Restrict attendance to those from limited transmission areas (other Step 3 areas) only.
Safety Actions
Promote healthy hygiene practices (Steps 1-3)
• Teach and reinforce washing hands and covering coughs and sneezes among children and staff.
• Teach and reinforce use of face coverings among all staff. Face coverings may be challenging for
students (especially younger students) to wear in all-day settings such as school. Face coverings should be worn by staff and encouraged in students (particularly older students) if feasible and are most
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essential in times when physical distancing is difficult. Information should be provided to staff and students on proper use, removal, and washing of cloth face coverings. Face coverings are not recommended for babies or children under the age of 2, or for anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the covering without assistance. Cloth face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected (many people carry COVID-19 but do not have symptoms). Cloth face coverings are not surgical masks, respirators, or personal protective equipment.
• Have adequate supplies to support healthy hygiene behaviors …
