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Erie County Department of Health offers masks to child care facilities & programs

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Wed, Oct 27th 2021 02:30 pm

The Erie County Department of Health is working with child care centers and other programs with young children as COVID-19 cases are identified among their children and staff.

Based on these case investigations, ECDOH is reinforcing safety recommendations for child care centers. It said, “These are basic measures that reduce the risk of respiratory illness transmission, including COVID-19.” They include:

√ Masking for all staff and students over 2 years of age;

√ Health screening on entry; reminding staff and children to stay home when ill; and

√ Reporting COVID-19 cases to ECDOH.

These are in addition to the standard practices for handwashing, cleaning and sanitation that child care centers follow. Diagnostic COVID-19 testing is available for free through ECDOH; call 716-858-2929 for an appointment.

Despite a slight decline in overall countywide cases in the past two weeks, the number of cases in younger age groups remains consistent. In a review of interviewed parents for cases in the 0-4-year-old age group from July-September, 43% attended a child care setting. That percentage trended higher with that age group in September compared to the summer months, with 55% of cases in that age group in a child care setting in that month. ECDOH epidemiologists are continuing to review those data for October.

To encourage and facilitate mask use within child care centers, ECDOH is offering adult- and child-size disposable face masks to these facilities in Erie County. Any child care center director or designee, or leader for more informal types of play groups and enrichment activities for non-school-age children, can email [email protected] before Nov. 3 to request an order. Provide the approximate number of children and staff at the location(s), and ECDOH will reply with instructions for pick up from a county facility.

For more:

√ ECDOH, COVID-19 vaccine information and clinic schedule: http://www.erie.gov/vax

√ ECDOH, COVID-19 information line: 716-858-2929 – foreign language interpretation available

√ ECDOH, COVID-19 weekly data updates: https://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=covid-19-media-data

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