Child Care Services Sector

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• What are the current COVID-19 guidelines for Child Care settings, including daycares and special education preschools?
  • All Child Care settings should follow the Early Care and Education (Child Care; ECE) decision tree. The K12 Decision Tree is only intended for children in TK-12^th grade.
  • The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) also offers Public Health Guidance for K–12 Schools and Child Care Settings to Support Safe In-Person Services and Mitigate the Spread of Communicable Diseases.
• When can Child Care facilities return to regular sick-leave policies?
  • The Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations (CCR, Title 8, sections 3205-3205.3) will remain in effect until February 3, 2025. Providers should review sick-leave policies to ensure compliance with applicable Title 22 regulations.
• Is a virtual (telehealth visit) doctor’s note okay for a child to return after being sick?
  • Yes. Consider taking a picture of the doctor’s note for the daycare center’s records or the child’s chart for recording any chronic conditions, allergies, or other conditions; or documentation that the child is cleared to return to school. 
• How do we report a COVID-19 outbreak?
  • Report outbreaks to the County
    • If 3 or more children, staff, or facility contacts have tested positive for COVID-19 within one week of each other and are epidemiologically linked, please send an email to the Epidemiology Unit at PHS.EPI.SCHOOLS.HHSA@sdcounty.ca.gov.
    • Childcare providers must report to the local health department (see above) the presence, or suspected presence, of any communicable diseases (see the California Code of Regulations and PIN 23-04-CCLD for more information).
  • Report outbreaks to Community Care Licensing (CCL)
    • If 3 or more children, staff, or facility contacts have tested positive for COVID-19 within one week of each other and are epidemiologically linked, please contact the local CCL regional office within 24 hours. To reach a Licensing Duty Officer, call (619) 767-2200 and press #3.
  • Submit an Unusual Incident Report (LIC 624 or LIC624B) within 7 days of reporting the cases to the assigned Licensing Program Analyst or Regional Office. Please include the contact with Epidemiology or Public Health Official with recommendations in the report.

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• What steps can a Child Care facility take to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
  • Encourage children, families, and staff to stay up-to-date on vaccinations,
  • Improve indoor air quality,
  • Support access to face masks,
  • Encourage handwashing and respiratory hygiene,
  • Support access to COVID-19 testing,
  • Clean and disinfect facilities, and
  • Manage individuals with symptoms.
  • For more details, see Public Health Guidance for K–12 Schools and Child Care Settings to Support Safe In-Person Services and Mitigate the Spread of Communicable Diseases and Protecting Against COVID-19 and Other Infections in Early Care and Education Programs.
• What are the recommended guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting facilities?
  • See the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on How To Clean and Disinfect Early Care and Education Settings.
    • Cleaning is done with soap, water, and scrubbing. Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces. Cleaning alone can remove most types of harmful germs (like viruses, bacteria, parasites, or fungi).
    • Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on surfaces to levels public health codes or regulations consider safe. Sanitizing is done with weaker bleach solutions or sanitizing sprays. Clean surfaces before you sanitize them. Sanitize surfaces that come in contact with children's mouths, such as infant feeding items and toys.
    • Disinfecting is done with stronger bleach solutions or other chemical products. These chemicals destroy any remaining germs on surfaces after cleaning. Clean surfaces before you disinfect them. Disinfect surfaces when someone is sick or at higher risk of getting sick.
  • For additional guidance, see the County’s Early Care and Education (ECE) Settings Cleaning and Disinfecting Guide.
• Are there any recommendations for hand sanitizer?
  • Washing hands with soap and water is the most effective way to remove germs, dirt, and chemicals from hands. If soap and water are not readily available, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can help staff and children avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.
  • To prevent poisoning, keep hand sanitizer out of children’s reach and supervise their use.
  • Call Poison Control, 1-800-222-1222, if you think a child has been poisoned but they are awake and alert. The center can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Call 911 if you have a poison emergency or a child has collapsed or is not breathing.
  • Please refer to About Hand Hygiene in Schools and Early Care and Education Settings, California Poison Control Organization, and the About Handwashing page for more information.