10
QUEENS WEEKLY, JULY 12, 2020
Daycares can open starting July 13: Board of Health
BY ALEJANDRA O'CONNELLDOMENECH
New York City’s Board of
Health voted on Tuesday to approve
the reopening of 3,000
daycare centers beginning next
week.
The unanimous vote rescinded
an April 3 order shuttering
care centers, with exception of
home-run daycare centers and
emergency daycare centers for
essential workers, across the city
to prevent the spread of the novel
coronavirus. Only about 25 childcare
programs have been up and
running since April.
During the virtual board meeting,
Deputy Commissioner for the
Division of Environmental Health
Corrine Schiff recommended that
the board vote to reopen daycare
centers given the virus slowed
transmission rate in the city and
decline in new infections.
On July 5, 58 people were admitted
to a city public hospital
with possibly COVID-19 symptoms
and 2 percent of New York
City residents tested positive for
the virus, according to the mayor’s
office.
Schiff urged board members
to consider the number of parents
returning the workforce as
the city continues to progress
through the state’s coronavirus
reopening phases.
On Monday, up to 400,000 people
returned to the workforce as
the city launched into phase three
of reopening, which included the
reopening of personal care services
like hair salons, nail salons,
and spa services along with dog
runs, basketball, volleyball, bocce,
tennis and handball courts.
The Staten Island Ferry’s rush
hour service also returned as a
part of phase three.
“They may turn to informal
care if regulated programs remain
closed,” Schiff told board
members.
Schiff assured board members
that the state emailed city
daycare centers concerning the
state-mandated coronavirus mitigation
rules. As a part of their reopening,
daycare centers would
not be allowed to have more than
15 children per room.
During a press conference
Tuesday morning, Mayor de
Blasio said that to mitigate the
spread of the virus, staff and children
would be given face coverings.
Additionally, centers would
be frequently cleaned and implement
daily health screenings.
If a child or daycare staff
member does test positive for the
virus, parents and guardians
will be contacted by a member
of the city’s test and trace corps
and asked about close contacts so
that they can be notified to seek
testing and stay home for 14 days,
Schiff said.
“This decision is rooted in
health as well as equity. Data
show that white and wealthy parents
are more likely to have job
flexibility or to hire independent
caregivers, while these options
may not be the same for Black,
Brown and low-income families,”
Dr. Oxiris Barbot said in a statement
shortly after the vote.”We
don’t want any New Yorker to
have to choose informal or illegal
child care; every child deserves a
safe place where they can learn
and grow.”
Childcare centers are not
mandated to open on July 13, but
can open at that time if they are
ready.