CDC updates Covid-19 guidance for childcare programs, including wearing masks

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Fri, 2021-03-12 16:11 — mike kraft

CDC updates its Covid-19 guidance for childcare programs The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday updated its guidance for childcare programs during the pandemic, emphasizing the importance of mask-wearing for everyone 2 years of age and older, as well as air ventilation and other strategies. Jacqueline Howard, CNN CNN

(CNN) The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday updated its guidance for childcare programs during the pandemic, emphasizing the importance of mask-wearing for everyone 2 years of age and older, as well as air ventilation and other strategies.

"Early last year, CDC released initial guidance for childcare programs during Covid-19. As we learn more about the virus, CDC experts updated that guidance several times throughout 2020," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a White House briefing on Friday.

"Today, CDC is again releasing updated guidance based on the most recent science," Walensky said. "That science includes additional evidence showing that, when used consistently and correctly, prevention strategies such as mask-wearing, staying home when sick, and good hand hygiene can allow childcare programs to operate safely and reduce the spread of Covid-19."

The guidance also calls vaccines "an important tool" to help stop the pandemic.

"I also want to stress that our childcare guidance emphasizes the importance of Covid-19 vaccination as an additional layer of prevention for childcare workers," Walensky said. "I strongly encourage America's childcare workers to get vaccinated."

Last week, the US Department of Health and Human Services directed Covid-19 vaccine providers to make vaccine doses available to education and childcare workers.

The childcare guidance, updated on the CDC's website on Friday, notes that "even after childcare providers and staff are vaccinated, there will be a need to continue prevention measures for the foreseeable future, including wearing masks, physical distancing and other important prevention strategies outlined in this guidance document." ...