Pa. officials address parents' concerns about day cares

Jun. 7--As counties across Pennsylvania start opening child care facilities, state Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller addressed concerns parents may have about leaving their children in care amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since March, 18 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed among day care staff and children at 13 facilities in eight counties, said Miller who was unable to immediately provide details about the cases during Tuesday's media conference call.

"Pennsylvania's fight against this virus is not over" but child care staff is taking steps to make sure centers are safe by following the Center for Disease Control guidelines, she said. They are cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, wearing masks, taking the temperature of staff and children daily and keeping children in the same group and socially distanced from other groups.

Children in day care centers where the environment is controlled are not required to wear masks and no children under 2 should have a face covering, but Miller said youth should be encouraged to wear one if possible. For younger children, wearing a mask could put them at more risk since they could cause them to touch their faces more frequently and require adults to help them adjust the mask, she said.

While out in public places where social distancing is not easily controlled, said Tracey Campanini, Deputy Secretary of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, children 2 and older should have a face covering.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to help children adjust to wearing masks "and make it less scary" by practicing at home and putting a mask on a stuffed animal, Miller said.

For counties transitioning to the yellow phase, residents who need child care can visit www.findchildcare.pa.gov for options. Early Learning Resource Centers (ELRC) can also support families by assisting with eligibility for the child care subsidy program, Child Care Works (CCW) and to connect families with child care. To locate the ELRC who supports your community, visit www.raiseyourstar.org.

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