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As businesses begin to mandate a return to the office, employees are confronted with the urgent challenge of finding safe child care solutions while schools remain shut. This decision involves carefully analyzing various risks to determine the safest option tailored to individual circumstances.
“In these times, simplicity is key,” noted Isabel Valdez, a physician assistant and internal medicine instructor at Baylor College of Medicine, in an email to Mytour. “Limiting interactions with others enhances our protection, as larger groups pose a higher risk of transmission.”
The safety of your child care options will vary based on your unique situation and available resources. Ideally, caring for your child at home is the safest choice. However, this isn’t feasible for all families, particularly due to economic challenges, gaps in social support systems, and inadequate labor protections for workers required to return to their jobs.
Exchanging child care responsibilities with another family
In certain situations, partnering with another family to share child care duties can reduce exposure risks, particularly if both households adhere to strict safety protocols.
“A defined circle of contacts enhances the ability to trace exposures if an infection occurs and minimizes potential interactions to a smaller group,” Valdez explains.
For a child care exchange to work effectively, both families must align on safety measures and establish a clear plan if someone falls ill. Evaluating the safety of all participants is crucial, including considering underlying health conditions or occupational exposure risks.
Enrolling your child in a daycare facility
The CDC has provided several guidelines for daycare facilities, many of which have stayed operational to accommodate essential workers' children. These measures include assigning a single teacher per classroom, preventing cross-classroom interactions, reducing class sizes, conducting daily temperature screenings, and enhancing cleaning and disinfection protocols.
“For some families, daycare might be the sole viable option,” Valdez states, advising parents to check their state’s daycare regulations to ensure a center complies. She also suggests choosing a daycare that mandates all children be fully vaccinated to lower the risk of preventable illnesses like measles, chickenpox, or whooping cough. With so many concerns already, avoiding a measles outbreak is essential.
If deciding between sharing child care with parents in high-exposure roles or enrolling your child in a daycare that strictly follows safety measures, the daycare may deserve serious consideration.
Hiring a private, in-home caregiver
During the lockdown, Rhode Island implemented a unique policy by halting all group childcare services, suggesting that a single healthy caregiver consistently assist within a family’s home. This approach is undeniably safer, as it minimizes contact between individuals and offers greater control over the environment. However, it remains financially inaccessible for many households.
Enlisting a family member to care for your child
Another possibility is arranging for a relative to look after your child. This approach can lower the overall risk of infection, particularly if everyone involved follows strict safety measures. However, if the relative is in a high-risk group, it may be wise to explore other alternatives. This applies to grandparents as well, as the CDC categorizes individuals over 65 as high-risk.
“Families should carefully evaluate their child care choices and prioritize caution if they depend on a high-risk family member for support,” Valdez advises. “Ideally, child care should be provided by a relative with a lower likelihood of severe complications from COVID.”
Currently, child care presents a complex challenge with no perfect solution, especially as many employees are being called back to the workplace. Each option carries its own level of risk, making it essential to assess your choices and select the one that poses the least danger to everyone involved.
