Reducing the Spread of Illness
What does that look like?
I operate a Licensed daycare and must follow the guidelines put in place by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, Leeds & Grenville Health Unit, and the agency I am under.
With health and safety being the top priority all LICENSED childcare settings will be required to follow enhanced health and safety protocols, as well as the advice of local public health units. This includes daily health screening protocols for children. If the child's Daily Health Screening is passed then the child will be admitted into care.
All licensed providers must maintain daily records of all COVID screening results and attendance.
It is recognized that physical distancing is not possible with small children and infants. So for this reason to reduce the spread of illnesses, children do not share food, feeding utensils, soothers, bottles, sippy cups, etc. Meals are served to each child and proper hand hygiene is practiced before and after eating as well as toileting.
High-touch surfaces and toys are regularly cleaned and toys are rotated to help reduce the spread of illness.
Illness Policy
Sickness & Daycare
My number one priority is the well-being of ALL the children in my care. It is for this reason that I have strict rules around the Illness Policy.
Payment is still due for your child(ren) when they are sick or absent.
When is my child too sick to come to daycare?
This is a question that will arise at some point, and to protect your child and the other children in my care, I have set up some guidelines on illness. In order to stop the spread of illnesses between children and families I ask that if your child is not feeling well, for any reason, they do not come to daycare. Any child who is ill and unable to participate fully in regular activities should be cared for at home.
As your child’s caregiver, if at any time I feel your child is too sick or possibly contagious, I will not allow your child to attend daycare until the possibility of spreading to other children/families has subsided. Please have a friend, neighbour, or family member on call to care for your child if you cannot when your child is ill.
This is a list of some of the reasons your child should remain home to reduce the spread of illness to other children and families.
- Feeling Ill
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Runny Nose & Cough
- Lice/Nits
- Rashes
- Crusty/Runny Eyes
- Pink Eye
- Impetigo of the skin
- Hepatitis A
- Measles
- Scabies
- Ringworm
- Mumps
- Infectious Diarrhea
- Roseola
- Chicken Pox
- Scarlet Fever
- Strep Throat
- Hand, Food, & Mouth
- Communicable Diseases: May Not Be Permitted by Law to attend Child Care.
- Immunizations: Not permitted back to childcare after vaccination until your child has been monitored overnight – side effects are possible (Example: shots at 10:00 am = return to care the next morning if no side effects).
Communication is key to reducing the spread of any illness. When a child is home sick please let me know as soon as possible what is wrong and I will inform other families of the child's symptoms so they can monitor their child(ren) for any signs of the same illness.
PLEASE NOTE: Depending on the symptoms the amount of time needing to remain out of care will vary. We will look at each case on an individual basis.
Daycare & Immunizations
Having up-to-date immunizations helps ensure that children have the best protection possible against certain diseases that can be very serious or even fatal. It also helps reduce the risk of disease outbreaks in childcare centers (daycares).
The Child Care and Early Years Act require parents to provide proof of immunization (or appropriate exemption documents) for certain diseases if their child attends a licensed childcare centre in Ontario.
As per the requirement of the Medical Officer of Health, children enrolled in a licensed child care centre must have proof of immunization against the following diseases:
- diphtheria
- tetanus
- pertussis (whooping cough)
- polio
- haemophilus influenza type b (Hib)
- measles
- mumps
- rubella
- varicella (chickenpox)
- rotavirus
- pneumococcal disease
- meningococcal disease
As a Licensed Daycare Provider, it is also required that anyone living in my house and anyone who is around the children must be fully vaccinated.
We are all fully vaccinated; including my parents who stand in for me when I have an appointment (when available).
You are able to view your child’s immunization records stored by public health through Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON).
DID YOU KNOW?
Measles is highly contagious. You can catch measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been.
HOW DOES HERD EMUNITY WORK?
Herd immunity is something that happens when a large number of people in a community develop immunity—or the body’s own protection—against a contagious disease.
This immunity can be developed naturally when the body makes antibodies after a viral infection that can help fight the infection better the next time. Herd immunity can also happen through vaccination.
The efficacy of herd immunity depends on how many people participate, and it depends on how contagious the disease is. In the case of measles, which is highly contagious, research suggests that 93% to 95% of the population must be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity.
It is strongly advised that everyone in Canada be vaccinated with two doses of a measles vaccine, especially before travelling. If needed, measles vaccination should optimally be given at least two weeks before departure, but there are still benefits if given less than two weeks before travelling.
Measles travel health notices are currently posted for many countries throughout the world. It's important to make sure that you and your loved ones are protected against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases before travelling.
What if we’re exposed to someone with measles? If my child has been immunized, is there any cause for concern?
The measles vaccine creates lasting protection in 95 percent of children who receive one dose of it and in 99 percent of those who receive the second dose. It is rare for an immunized child to develop infection after exposure to someone with the disease.
What about my baby, who has only completed part of the immunization schedule?
Even a single dose of the vaccine is highly effective in preventing infection. Under usual circumstances, it is recommended that the measles vaccine be given at 12 to 15 months and again at age 4 to 6. If exposure to measles is likely, however, either because of planned travel to an area where measles occurs more frequently, or because of possible exposure during an outbreak, the second dose can be given as soon as one month after the first, leading to 99 percent protection.
Also, when exposure is more likely, infants between 6 and 12 months of age can be immunized. Because the vaccine is less effective at that age, a baby who receives the measles vaccine before age 1 should later get two more doses under the regular schedule.
It is recommended that people born in 1970 or later (1957 for health care workers) get 2 doses of the vaccine. This is especially important for travellers.
ABOUT MEASLES:
● Measles spreads easily through the air, leads to high hospitalization rates and can cause a hacking cough, high fever and a prominent rash. In more serious cases, it leads to pneumonia, brain damage and death in up to three out of every 1,000 children infected.
● Measles, also known as red measles, causes fever, rash, cold-like symptoms and red, inflamed eyes that can be sensitive to light.
● Measles is very contagious and spreads easily. When an infected person coughs, or sneezes, the virus spreads through the air. The measles virus can survive in small droplets in the air for several hours. You can become infected when you breathe in this air or touch a surface contaminated with virus. The viruses can also spread through contact with an infected person’s saliva when sharing food, drinks, cigarettes or by kissing.
● It can lead to infections of the ear or lungs (pneumonia).
● More serious complications, occurring in 1 person in 1,000, include encephalitis, a swelling of the brain. This can lead to seizures, deafness, or permanent brain damage.
● About one person in 3,000 with measles can die from complications.
TRANSMISSION:
Measles is one of the most highly communicable infectious diseases with greater than 90% secondary attack rates among susceptible persons. The virus is transmitted by the airborne route, respiratory droplets, or direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected persons. The incubation period is about 10 days (range, 7 to 18 days). The interval from exposure to appearance of rash averages 14 days. Cases are infectious from 4 days prior to rash onset to 4 days after rash onset. People who recover from measles have permanent immunity to the disease.
INFORMATIONAL WEBSITES:
More Info on Ontario Vaccines & Immunizations
The links below will help you learn about Ontario’s free vaccine program, and make it easy to keep your family up to date with the recommended vaccinations.
Ontario Vaccines & Immunization Information: https://www.ontario.ca/page/vaccines
More information on COVID-19 Protection & Vaccinations
More information on Influenza Vaccine
For more information about COVID-19
- Leeds & Grenville Health Unit: https://healthunit.org/health-information/covid-19/
- Eastern Ontario Health Unit: https://eohu.ca/en/my-health/2019-novel-coronavirus
- Ottawa Public Health: https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/novel-coronavirus.aspx
- Public Health Agency of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.htm
- 1-833-784-4397 - WWW.CANADA.CA/CORONAVIRUS