Nursery and Covid-19, how is it going for my child?

Have you just obtained a place in a nursery? Excellent news ! You will therefore entrust your baby during your working days. However, in this period of health crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic, several questions torment you: what are the actions to follow? What happens if my child gets sick? We take stock of the health protocol to be observed in the nursery, with Cathy Ligère, member of the national office of the National Union of Early Childhood Professionals. 

Health crisis: are there priority children for the nursery? What are the gauges?

During the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, some children were considered priority in access to nurseries, such as the children of nursing staff, on the front line against the epidemic. Is this still the case today? “At present, we are no longer prioritizing the reception of children. The gauges, for their part, are 11 children in micro-crèche. For other larger structures, these generally go up to 40 children, ”explains Cathy Ligère. 

Different alert thresholds depending on the health situation

The first thing to know is that the measures put in place vary according to the Covid-19 contamination curve. In its recommendations for early childhood careers, the Ministry of Solidarity and Health has defined three alert thresholds. We are currently at level 1 in metropolitan France (the threshold may vary in certain overseas territories). The difference between the alert thresholds will be mainly the child gauge tolerated in the same room. Thus at alert threshold 3 (maximum), groups of children are limited to 20 and must not come into contact with other groups. 

The sanitary protocol of nurseries

Wearing a mask and barrier gestures in a crèche

Here are the details of the mask wearing obligations and barrier gestures in the crèche:

• Wearing a mask is compulsory in nursery for parents, inside and outside (garden for example).
• Wearing a protective mask (surgical mask or mask with a filtration level greater than 90%) by all early childhood professionals is compulsory, including in the presence of children;
• Wearing a protective mask by children 0-3 years old is prohibited.
• Each parent and professional must maintain a distance of at least one meter from other adults and children.
• Children’s hands should be washed several times a day by nursery professionals.

My child has symptoms related to Covid-19, or is contact, what should I do?

If your child has symptoms related to Covid-19 such as fever, cough, or even loss of taste and smell, it is imperative to go and have it tested as soon as possible. If tested positive, the child should be quarantined for a period of at least 10 days, provided that he has no more symptoms by the tenth day. The situation is the same if the parent himself tests positive. If the latter has been in contact with the nursery staff, he must immediately inform those in charge. Within the crèche, all people (children and professionals) who have had risky contact with the infected child must immediately carry out a first test, then a second after seven days. 

My child has a fever in the nursery, how is it?

Can fever alone be a reason for exclusion from the nursery? “If during the day the child has a fever, we will examine him carefully. It is then the management of the establishment who will take the responsibility of withdrawing it or not. If the fever has lasted for several days, we will ask the parents to take the child to the doctor and have him tested, ”explains Cathy Ligère.   

Parents: the right reflexes to avoid contagion

When accompanying your child to the nursery, you must respect the barrier gestures, ubiquitous since the start of the health crisis. Wash your hands with hydroalcoholic gel, wear a mask and respect the rules of distance with other parents and nursery staff. 

Do you or your child test positive for Covid-19? You must inform the nursery promptly. If one morning your baby wakes up with a 38 degree fever, Avoid taking him to nursery, even before giving him a test. Likewise, if a member of your household contracts Covid-19, keep your child at home, he may have been infected. In this case, it is necessary to avoid contagion to other children in the nursery.

Are nursery professionals subject to the obligation to be vaccinated against Covid-19?

To date, nursery professionals not providing care are not subject to compulsory vaccination. Only caregivers are subject to the vaccination obligation, from September 15, 2021, deadline postponed to October 15 for people who have already received a dose of anti-Covid-19 vaccine and presenting the result of a non-contamination test .

When can the crèche be closed?

LDoes the presence of a child positive for Covid-19 directly result in the closure of the nursery? ” Not necessarily. The case in which the establishment will close its doors is the appearance of a cluster, mainly among the staff. In this case, the nursery will have to close its doors for a period of six to eight days, ”summarizes Cathy Ligère. 

Health protocol in nurseries, what impact on children?

Since the onset of the health crisis, all these health measures have gradually become part of the habits of parents. What about the children? Does this health protocol have a psychological impact on toddlers? “In the children we welcome, I notice very little impact. They manage to recognize us very well despite the mask. As for the parents, they are really very calm when they drop their children off in a nursery, ”summarizes Cathy Ligère. This health protocol also prevents the spread of other diseases, including bronchiolitis and other respiratory viruses. By respecting the wearing of a mask, washing your hands regularly and maintaining a physical distance from others, parents and nursery professionals help prevent the spread of disease, and in particular Covid-19, in nurseries.