Daycare & The Coronavirus
Like the rest of our country, I’m just a confused citizen waiting for the inevitable spread of the Coronavirus to potentially impact my family and I. As the news changes, literally by the hour, my thoughts and emotions change right alongside it. I’m doing my best to make sure my family and I are going above and beyond our standards of cleaning, however, it’s interesting…even though I might be, I have to wonder, is everyone else?
Just yesterday, my daughter was bit by another child at daycare. Yes, biting is ‘a thing’ amongst children and I get it but given the fact that this bite broke my daughters skin, I had a different reaction. What or who has this other child been exposed to in the past few weeks? Are they living in a home where people travel? Have they been to certain areas of the country that have seen a surge in Coronavirus cases? I needed to know! Many reports have claimed that 3% of cases in children have been under the age of 15, and children appear to not be as vulnerable as adults. Even with those statistics it’s hard to ever just assume things shouldn’t concern you.
As a parent, we need to ask certain questions to be sure, and to know for certain, that our kids are ok even if the risk is 0.0001%. The questions that sounds crazy need to be vocalized and we need to stop being told we’re crazy when it comes to the health of our children. Because all it takes is one and I refuse to be that statistic.
When I spoke to the head of my daughters school, she said she understood my concern, but I think the root of my worry came out when I asked, “well what is your plan if there is an outbreak in our region” and her answer was, “we clean regularly.” For me, that’s not an answer. Are you paying attention to CDC and state health official warnings and recommendations and IN ADVANCE preparing a plan that be effectively executed and sharing it with parents? Until I see those things, I will never be satisfied.
I’m hopeful that our country will do what it needs to do to contain this virus, but the reality is that we don’t know how or when. I’m not some crazy ‘prepper’ who plans to run into a bunker in the mountains, but I do believe in taking the proper precautions. We’re watching this unfold for the worst all over the world and there is no reason for me to believe anyone in our country is above the same fate.
Ask questions. Take precaution and know your whereabouts.
I keep being told this is all so silly, but it’s not. It’s facts and as adults and parents, it’s our job to understand the situation to the absolute best of our ability.