Dear Parents and Families,
We know this email finds many of you in difficult circumstances due to several recent child care classroom closures, and we recognize how disruptive and challenging the coming weeks will be for employees and employers alike. We hear you. We are sorry for the situations some of you are in. We know this is hard for you. We want to help, listen and be better.
Right now, three YMCA child care classrooms are closed. There is one child with a confirmed positive COVID case and two staff with confirmed positive COVID cases. There are 25, out of 174 children, currently quarantined, and four staff currently quarantined due to internal exposure. Four children, and zero staff, are currently quarantined due to external exposure. We’ll begin providing the number of active cases we’re tracking in YMCA child care in our weekly emails to families each Monday.
We understand many families have questions about why COVID-19 mitigation strategies are different in schools and child care programs. By nature, child care classrooms have more close contact for longer periods of time, so other prevention strategies are recommended, such as closing an entire classroom during a quarantine period following an exposure.
We understand that there are shortened quarantine options, but it remains clear that all the guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health’s “Recommended COVID-19 Decision Tree for People in Schools, Youth, and Child Care Programs” indicates the 14-day quarantine, although not ideal, is the safest option for children. Right now, our legal and liability teams have advised that the safest option is the best option, and the YMCA has chosen to follow the guidance and recommendations for a 14-day quarantine.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, a 10-day quarantine can be considered if:
- The close contact has not had any symptoms.
- The close contact has not had a positive test for COVID-19.
- No one in your home has COVID-19.
- You do not live or work in a building where it's hard to stay away from others and easy to spread the virus to multiple people, like a long-term care facility, assisted living family or other congregate living facility.
- Your contact with someone with COVID-19 had a beginning and an end. For example, your close contact happened at:
- School
- Sports event
- Work
- Social gathering
Even after 10 days, close contacts should still:
- Watch for symptoms through day 14. If you have any symptoms, stay home, separate yourself from others, and get tested right away, even if you tested negative earlier.
- Continue to wear a mask and stay at least 6 feet away from other people.
Shortened quarantines are difficult to implement with young children and infants.
The YMCA child care advisory committee held an emergency meeting today, Friday, November 12, to discuss the health and safety, legal and liability risks, and accountabilities associated with a shortened quarantine. Surveys will be distributed to parents next week to collect your thoughts and feedback on a shortened quarantine option. Look for a survey in your email on Monday, November 15.
We know one of the best places for change could be asking the Minnesota Department of Health to review their “Recommended COVID-19 Decision Tree for People in Schools, Youth, and Child Care Programs," specifically related to the their quarantine guidelines as it relates to close contact tracing. If you can help, please call MDH at 1-833-431-2053.
The road ahead will lead us to more challenging times until COVID is safely behind us. After consultations with Horizon Public Health and the Minnesota Department of Health, at this time, we believe the best course of action is the safest course of action. The decisions we make moving forward must continue to find the best balance to serve our children, our staff, our families, and our community.
We’re in this together.
Best in Health,
Jackie Peters
Alexandria Area YMCA
Executive Director
Tracy Gustafson
Alexandria Area YMCA
Child Care Director