PANDEMIC POLICY

1. The center will ensure the staff child ratios and maximum group size limitations are maintained at all times.
2. The center shall follow all hand washing procedures pursuant to rule 5101:2-12-13 of the Administrative Code with the following additions:
   1. All administrators, child care staff members and employees must wash their hands upon entering a classroom and prior to leaving for the day.
   2. All children must wash their hands prior to leaving for the day.
3. The center shall ensure that all administrators, employees, child care staff members and children take their temperature prior to or as soon as they arrive each day.
   1. The center shall immediately send home any child or administrator, child care staff member or employee who has a temperature of one hundred degrees or higher. If any staff, children, or adults have a fever of 100 degrees or higher, they may not enter the facility.
   2. The individual shall not return to the center until he or she has been fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication for at least twenty-four hours.
   3. If the individual has had known contact with someone confirmed or probable to have COVID-19, prior to returning to the center, he or she must complete isolation or quarantine procedures for COVID-19 in coordination with the local health department.
   4. The requirements of this paragraph also apply to anyone whose temperature is taken after arrival.
4. Mandate all employees and adults entering the center to wear a face covering.
5. Limit access to the center; prohibiting parents/guardians and visitors from proceeding beyond the Parent Center entrance.
6. Require children’s blankets (pillows, if applicable) to be laundered weekly by the parent/guardian.
7. Implement a rigorous cleaning schedule.
8. If an Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19
   If an administrator, employee, or child care staff member employed by the center or a child enrolled in the center tests positive for COVID-19, the program shall:
   1. Ensure that the person completes isolation or quarantine procedures for COVID-19 in coordination with the local health department prior to being permitted to return to the program. 
   2. Notify the local health department by the next business day.
   3. Notify ODJFS by the next business day in the Ohio child licensing and quality system as a serious incident pursuant to rule 5101:2-12-16 of the Administrative Code.
9.  Room Dividers
   If the center needs to divide a room into smaller spaces to serve multiple groups of children, dividers may be used if they meet the following requirements:
   1. The dividers meet any requirements set by the department of commerce, local building department, state fire marshal or local fire safety inspector.
   2. The dividers are made from a nonporous material or other material that can be sanitized.
   3. The dividers are at least six feet in height.
10.  Confirmed Cases
    In the event of confirmed cases, the center will:
    1. Immediately isolate and seek medical care for any individual     who develops symptoms while at the center.
    2. Immediately communicate any confirmed cases of COVID-19 to parents/guardians and staff.   
    3. Shutdown rooms for deep sanitation.
    4. The center will immediately notify the Department of Job & Family Services in writing of any confirmed cases of COVID-19 among children or staff.
    5. Work with the local health department to identify potentially infected or exposed individuals to help facilitate effective contact tracing/notifications.
    6. Mandate testing of all suspected infections or exposures
    7. Following testing, contact the local health department to initiate appropriate care and tracing.