B.C. daycares will begin to reopen in mid-May amid COVID-19 pandemic

The B.C. government has released details about how daycares can safely reopen in mid-May amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are a number of measures in place that must be followed by all daycares around the province, officials announced Wednesday.

Daycares must screen all staff and children daily for signs of any symptoms of a cold, flu or COVID-19, including coughing and sneezing.

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There must also be a clear policy that children and staff with symptoms cannot come to the facility.

Staff must also maintain routine and frequent environmental cleaning.

As outlined in B.C.’s latest modelling numbers on Monday, the risk of transmission is still a concern, and residents still need to reduce close contact between people and the number of contacts in the same setting at one time.

Health officials said the daily number of new cases should hit zero by mid-June if social interactions stay at around 35-40 per cent of normal.

1:55 The demands on daycares during the coronavirus crisis