Pandemic Policy

Public Health Measures: We will follow all measures and guidelines put forth by the British Columbia Ministry of Health, Interior Health as well as the BC Centre for Disease Control.
Personal Measures:  Actions taken to protect oneself and others which include staying home when sick, practicing physical distancing, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. Using personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks.

1. The University Children’s Learning Centre follows updated guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health and the BC Centre for Disease Control. Children and child care providers must stay home and should get tested if experiencing key symptoms of COVID-19. Key symptoms include: fever or chills, cough, loss of sense of smell or taste and difficulty breathing. Stay home and self isolate if waiting results of a COVID-19 test, if you are confirmed by public health as a close contact of a confirmed case/outbreak. If the child care provider, child or any members of the child’s household have travelled outside of Canada please follow the guidelines in the following link COVID-19: Travel, testing and borders - Travel.gc.ca.
2. Children and child care providers should stay at home until they feel better if experiencing one of the following symptoms: sore throat, loss of appetite, headache, body aches, extreme fatigue or tiredness, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea.  If experiencing 2 or more symptoms, stay home and monitor 24 hours to see if you feel better. Get tested if not better after 24 hours. If symptoms improve and the child/staff member feels well enough, they can return to the child care facility without further assessment or doctor’s note.

If two or more symptoms are present or you have a fever or difficulty breathing, seek a health assessment by calling 811 or a primary care provider. If a COVID-19 test is recommended, self-isolate while waiting for test results. If the test is positive, self isolate and follow the direction of public health. If the test is negative, return to the child care facility once well enough to participate. If the test is recommended but not done, self isolate for 10 days after the onset of symptoms and return when feeling well enough to participate. If a family member in a staff or child’s household develops any symptoms of COVID illness, we ask that the staff or child remain at home until the family member symptoms improve or they receive a negative test result.                                                                          

1. Illness policies will be strictly adhered to. If a child or staff is displaying symptoms related to the illness they will be asked to remain at home, monitor symptoms for 24 hours and follow the procedures in step #2. Staff or children who are experiencing symptoms of a previously diagnosed health condition do not need to stay home and should not be required to provide a doctor’s note to attend a child care facility.
2. If it is determined that a person with COVID-19 was in a child care setting when they may have potentially been infectious, public health will work with staff in the child care setting to understand who may have been exposed and will notify everyone considered a close contact.
3. Daily health check is a tool used to reduce the risk of a person attending a child care setting when potentially infectious. Staff will communicate daily with parents regarding the health of the child during drop off.
4. If a child or staff becomes ill at the centre they will be removed from the group and required to wear a mask (unless under 2 years of age) until they can leave the centre. A staff will wear a mask and stay with the child in the staff room until a parent or caregiver is able to come pick up the child. Parents or caregivers will be asked to pick up as soon as possible if they are notified their child is ill. The child (depending on age) will be provided with tissues to cover their coughs or sneezes. Used tissues will be thrown away as soon as possible and hand hygiene performed.

Staff responsible for centre cleaning will clean and disinfect the space where the child and/or staff was separated and any areas recently used by them.

1. Children and staff and any visitors to the centre will be required to wash hands (with plain soap and water) upon entering the centre, after using the washroom, returning from outdoor play, before and after meals and any other time deemed necessary. There will also be hand sanitizer safely placed throughout the centre when needed and staff will assist with children’s usage. Hand sanitizer will also be placed inside the front entrance for use by staff/parents/children/visitors when entering the premise.
2. Unnecessary physical contact with the children will be minimized as well the number of visiting adults in the programs.
3. Children will be encouraged to play individually or in small groups to limit direct physical contact as much as possible.
4. Group sizes will be limited when possible (meal times staggered, children split between indoor and outdoor play, toileting times in smaller groups).
5. Help children learn about physical distancing by encouraging to ‘keep hands to themselves’, ‘give space’, ‘cough and sneeze in their sleeves’. Older children can play games that help encourage this as well.
6. Food and beverages will not be shared. The daycare will provide morning snack daily and will be served by daycare staff. Homemade food items for birthday treats or special occasions will not be made available at this time. Parents are welcomed to provide a store-bought treat to share for their child’s birthday or special occasion.

 
Environmental Measures: Physical changes in the centre to reduce the risk of exposure which may include physical barriers, being outdoors, frequent cleaning and disinfection.

1. All toys that are unable to be washed or sanitized will be removed from the floor.
2. All toys (indoor and outdoor) will be cleaned thoroughly each day.
3. Books, paper, other paper-based products, laminated or glossy paper-based products and items with plastic covers do not need to be cleaned and disinfected, or quarantined for any period of time.
4. Objects made of materials that are not easily cleaned (e.g., foam, playdough) or typically cleaned intermittently (e.g., fabrics, soft toys) will continue to be used. They will be cleaned according to regular practices.
5. High touch surfaces (door bell, door knobs, light switches, faucets, chairs and tables, sinks and toilets, etc.) will be cleaned at least twice a day and more frequently  when time allows or when needed.
   1. Office surfaces such as desks, keyboards, computer mouse etc., will be cleaned between uses of different staff.
6. A bleach and water solution will be used for all disinfecting of surfaces and toys.
   1. Bleach solution is 20ml to 990ml of water for toilets, change areas and cleaning up bodily fluids
   2. Bleach solution is 10ml to 980ml of water for disinfecting surfaces
7. Barriers will be erected between beds when children are sleeping in close contact or children’s beds will be placed head-to-toe when needed.
8. All bedding and sleep stuffies will remain at the centre and be washed by staff each week or more often as needed.
9. Children will be provided with ample time outdoors (air quality and weather permitting) to limit the risk of exposure.
10. All home toys are required to remain at home.

Administrative Measures: Implementation of health and wellness policies, procedures, training and education.

1. Parents will be informed of all policies and procedures surrounding the pandemic.
2. Implement physical distancing strategies amongst children and staff
   1. Each smaller room within the daycare will have occupancy limits posted
3. Drop off and pick-ups will take place inside at your child’s gate. Parents are required to wear a face covering and hand sanitize when entering the premise.  Families will be encouraged to designate one parent for drop off and pick-ups.
   1. Staff will sign in each child to limit number of people touching sign in/out sheet and pen. Children’s belongings can be handed to the staff member welcoming the child in their respective program to put away.
   2. Parents are encouraged to stagger drop offs as much as possible and respect physical distancing measures during peak drop off and pick up times. Two families maximum in the foyer at one time.
4. If a child or staff within the centre contracts COVID-19, the centre would follow the direction of Public Health in regards to exclusion of certain individuals or temporary closures. All persons affiliated with the centre would be notified.