Even before the pandemic, about half of the families in the United States are already having trouble finding care for their kids. It even got worse as daycare centers closed, and other carers like the grandparents and nannies are told to stay home.
This problem is no longer an issue of logistics (who can watch the kids while the parents are working) or finances because parents would also have to consider the child's risk of getting infected from COVID-19.
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health epidemiologist Dr. Anne Rimoin said that these days, everything is about risk mitigation, so parents have to think carefully in choosing care for their kids. But making the best decisions would be based on the available options to the parents.
Below are recommendations from experts on thinking the latest science on risks and considerations for the four common types of child care services:
1. Daycare, child care centers, and preschool
The CDC has released guidelines to child care centers for them to follow to reduce the spread of COVID-19. But there are key things that parents should look at when choosing care for their kids.
The childcare center should do intensive cleaning and disinfection procedures in their facilities and should implement protocols that assign children to consistently stay together with the same adult every day to reduce the number of people they come in contact with. They should also have protocols for drop-off and pick-up to avoid crowding.
Moreover, daycare workers should always wear masks, and they should routinely screen children for any symptoms of COVID-19. They should also be able to pinpoint which kids or workers have symptoms to limit the sharing of toys and keep them physically distanced.
But parents should also consider the risk of infection in their community. It probably would not be a good idea to send them to childcare centers or for these facilities to open.
2. Grandparents or family member vulnerable to COVID-19
Studies show that older people and those with underlying conditions are more vulnerable to catching COVID-19, and they are also more likely to die from the disease. That means, the safest choice is not to assign them in caring for the kids.
However, there are some things that families can do to lower the risks. They can impose a strict regime of social distancing by avoiding going outside or plan two-week isolation before enlisting them as their helper if possible.
Read Also: Children Are Suffering From More Than Just Coronavirus During This Pandemic
3. Nanny
For many, in-home child care seems to be a safe option. Recently Care.com, one of the largest online websites that offer these types of services, has seen a triple-digit percent increase in their demand.
Families and caregivers should discuss plans and protocols for isolation and testing if ever one of them had any contact with a COVID-19 positive patient. It is also essential to pay them above the board, providing caregivers better access to sick leave and perhaps unemployment benefits to minimize the spread of the virus.
Experts have also recommended that caregivers shall have screenings like the child care worker before they could start working. The care arrangement should also be considered whether they are a stay-in or if the parents share a care provider with another family.
The former is probably the safest option, but the latter brings additional layers of risks.
4. Care sharing with another family or "podding"
The pandemic has caused many families to create small pods with another family to share caregivers for their children. However, this method is not risk-free. Take note that any group is only as safe as its least safe member.
That means no one would want to mingle with a group who choose to spend their time in crowded places, such as gyms, to avoid increasing their risk of infection. To be safe, each member of the pod should take similar care when they are outside of the pod, like wearing face masks and avoiding close contact with anyone outside of their group.
Similar to other care arrangements, both parties and members should be open to communication regarding the behaviors, health, and potential illness.
Also, the fewer the number, the safer the group will be compared to having a larger number of members.
Read More: CDC Officially Issues Guidelines for School Reopening This Fall
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