Dear YMCA Child Care Parents and Families,
This email is to update you in response to the emergency child care committee and board of directors meetings that took place on Thursday, November 18 and Friday, November 19 to discuss the health and safety, legal and liability risks, and accountabilities associated with a shortened quarantine.
As the state of Minnesota leads the nation in COVID-19 cases, YMCA leadership has determined now is not the time to shorten our quarantine requirements. With several recent cases in our center and six classroom closures, a 14-day quarantine for exposed individuals is one of the most effective ways we can prevent additional cases in both children and staff, and in our community.
We recognize the difficulty the sudden, extended loss of child care poses to parents, but we also want to emphasize that this will not last forever. Our numbers will improve. We also acknowledge that COVID guidelines from the Minnesota Department of Health, and our resulting policies, haven’t always been clear. Moving forward, we can, and will, present information proactively. Here are a few things we're working on:
1. A FAQ website link for parents and families to gain a better understanding of the options available to us, and the policies we’ve chosen to practice.
2. A quarantine mitigation chart that will use local and center positivity case rates, CDC and MDH data to help us identify when it’s prudent to shorten a close contact quarantine is in development. Look for that to be released in the coming weeks.
As always, the decisions we make moving forward must continue to find the best balance to serve our children, our staff, our families, and our community.
Best in Health,
Jackie Peters
Alexandria Area YMCA
Executive Director
Tracy Gustafson
Alexandria Area YMCA
Child Care Director