Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Establishes New Guidance for Daycare Facilities, Through March 31

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District has provided guidance to local child care facilities to limit services to families of health care workers and others that “serve essential roles in our community.”

Families of children who attend Next Generation School and Chesterbrook Academy at the Research Park told chambanamoms.com that they had received information related to the guidance. Parents were notified on Tuesday afternoon.

The CUPHD information provides guidance to daycares; it is NOT an order or rule, and is not mandated. It can be downloaded here: CUPHD interim guidance

The information from Chesterbrook at the Research Park introduced the guidelines.

“The Urbana Champaign Public Health District (CUPHD) has just announced new (guidance) for operations of all early childhood schools and centers.

These rules are designed to help control any possible spread of the coronavirus in the general community, while still ensuring that parents in critical jobs have access to child care and early education.

In order to comply with these rules that will help to protect everyone’s health and safety, we will need your understanding and cooperation.”

The email from Next Generation School reads:

“Effective Wednesday, March 18, 2020, and until at least March 31, 2020, we will be providing care only for those families that serve essential roles in our community.

Families with primary caregivers that work in medical care, essential government operations, emergency response, pharmacies, other community support roles, or the military qualify for this care.”

The CUPHD guidance document also includes recommendations for handling recess and other activities:

Consider alternates to congregate or group programming within the facility. Keep the children in smaller cohorts and do not mix the cohorts.

If schools remain open during a pandemic, divide school classes into smaller groups of students and rearrange desks so students are spaced at least 3 feet (98) from each other in a classroom.

Consider implementing staggered recess times to limit the number of students who are together; and if possible, group recess by classrooms.

This is a developing story.

For more updates on coronavirus in Champaign-Urbana, see our daily digest for March 17.