The Children’s Center of New Paltz
Covid-19 Health and Safety Plan (Revised 8-7-23)
This policy replaces previous versions of our COVID Health and Safety Plan.
The Covid-19 virus is most commonly spread through person-to-person contact. Social distancing of at least six feet apart is recommended to help stop the spread of the virus; however, guidance from the DOH and the NYS Governor’s office recognizes that social distancing is not possible between childcare staff and young children while providing a developmentally appropriate program. COVID recommendations are currently in a state of flux. We will continue to update our policies and practices in response to current CDC recommendations.
Reporting: All positive Covid cases within your household are required to be reported to us, as soon as possible. If your child tests positive for Covid, call us at 845 257 2910 or email childrenscenter@newpaltz.edu.
We will notify parents of Covid cases in classrooms via our parent email listserv, as well as creating a notice at your child’s sign in station. Please make sure your contact information is up to date on the listserv.
Covid testing:
Testing is required for children presenting with any Covid symptoms before attending school. We are not allowed to administer tests to children.
Household members testing positive: the current CDC recommendations state that a child must remain home for 5 days after a household member tests positive. They may only return after testing negative five days past exposure and are asymptomatic.
A child presenting with Covid symptoms, even is testing negative, must remain out of childcare until the symptoms are fully resolved and they are fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication. Covid symptoms include, but are not limited to, a fever, a cough, sore throat, and headache. Most recent updates to Covid symptoms include Conjunctivitis, or Pink Eye.
If your child develops symptoms while in school, they will be placed in a supervised, safe space, until they can be picked up.
Child with Positive COVID test: days 1-5 and 5-10
• If a child tests positive for COVID they will need to stay home for five days starting with the day after the 1st presentation of symptoms, or a positive COVID test, whichever occurs first.
• If they are symptom free, children may return to school after day 5
If they can wear a KN-95 mask through day ten. If they cannot wear a mask, they will need to remain home for 10 days past the positive test.
Program Activities:
• Classrooms will sometimes be combining groups of children due to low enrollment or to maintain OCFS staff/child ratios. This may happen even if children are joining a group that has had COVID exposure.
Student Interns will be required to closely monitor for COVID symptoms. They will be required to test negative before returning to work if they have had any symptoms or dorm mate exposure.
Staff are required to wear masks only when they have COVID symptoms, although they may choose to wear masks for personal protection, regardless of whether they are experiencing symptoms.
