LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) has rounded out its COVID-19 guidelines for schools by rolling out protocols for child care operations with kids under the age of five.
In pervious releases, LARA had provided guidance only for educational facilities with kids over the age of five, creating confusion for preschool and daycare owners.
Earlier this month, owner of Little Ones Learning Preschool and Childcare Trisha Dart had to shutdown her Comstock Park operation because of confusion surrounding quarantine guidelines. Dart reached out to 13 ON YOUR SIDE in an attempt to clear up unanswered questions about COVID guidelines for childcare operations.
At the time, updated guidance for K-12 schools featured shorter quarantine and isolation requirements under most circumstances. No such update, however, had been released concerning children under five, many of whom remain unable to receive a vaccine, and in some cases, unable to mask.
On Monday, LARA closed that gap by releasing isolation and quarantine guidance for children under the age of five.
► Read the full guidance here.
Isolation guidance, child care for kids under five
According to LARA, when a child or staff member tests positive for COVID and/or displays COVID symptoms, they should isolate from other children and staff and be sent home. Any child or staff member who has symptoms should be encouraged to get tested.
Under the new guidance, children who test positive or have symptoms should isolate for 0-10 days. Day 0 is the day that symptoms begin or the day the test was taken without symptoms.
Quarantine guidance, child care for kids under five
According to LARA, a child who is exposed to someone with COVID and is identified as a close contact must quarantine for 10 days after last date of exposure. The program should conduct contact tracing within the child care operation and identify close contacts with the positive person.
Close contact who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days do not need to quarantine, but they must wear a mask around other people while in the child care program for 10 days after exposure.
In a release, LARA said the guidance will continue to be updated as more information is collected on how to fight COVID-19.
"Child care providers across the state have always prioritized the health and safety of the children in their care," the release reads. "With the spread of COVID-19, and highly transmissible variants, health and safety protocols are recommended to ensure children, families, and staff members are as safe as possible."
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