疫情期间中小学关闭，但是“日托中心”仍开放COVID-19 shut down B.C. schools — so why are daycares still open?
来源：CBC NEWS
原文链接：https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-daycares-still-open-1.5502295
卑诗省的托儿中心和工人正在质疑在COVID-19大流行期间继续照顾幼儿的安全性。
卑诗省儿童保育倡导者联盟在一份声明中说：“这种情况是站不住脚的”。
联盟说，除萨斯喀彻温省外，其他所有省都发布了关闭育儿计划的指令，以及其他支持基本工人的措施。
该小组在周四致信邦妮·亨利（Bonnie Henry）博士，要求召开紧急会议，讨论允许卑诗省成立的理由。保育计划保持开放。
主席苏珊·哈尼（Susan Harney）说：“我们仍然对儿童，家庭和幼儿教育者缺乏协调的方法表示高度关注，”她补充说，她意识到育儿是家庭的重要支持。
学校关闭
BC省政府周二宣布，出于对COVID-19的关注，所有学校将无限期关闭，同时允许日托开放。
周三，BC省澄清了该决定背后的原因：保育人员被认为是与一线抗击大流行的卫生保健工作者所必需的。
省卫生官员邦妮·亨利（Bonnie Henry）博士说：“我相信托儿服务是一项基本服务，特别是对于我们的基本服务工作者而言。”
“有关部委正在采取措施，以确保我们能够为有需要的儿童提供适当，安全的护理。”
无需开放日托
作为卑诗省的高级医生，她重申目前并不需要所有日托保持开放。
对于那些这样做的省，该省表示正在与儿童保育部门合作，以确保他们符合省卫生准则，以预防COVID-19。
亨利说：“当然，在某些日托服务中，很难做到这种疏离，采取适当的措施以及增强清洁效果。”
出现感冒迹象的日托儿童将被送回家中进行自我隔离，以减少COVID-19传播的可能性。 （本·尼尔姆斯/ CBC）
Children in daycare showing signs of a cold are being sent home to self isolate to reduce the potential for the spread of COVID-19. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
亨利说，安省目前正直接与儿童保育界合作，以研究其他措施，并指出哪种设施最适合儿童保育。
她说：“我们将如何最好地保护所有人（无论是托儿服务人员，幼儿教育者还是家庭），但要为基本服务人员和卫生保健人员提供必要的服务。”
亨利（Henry）建议，本周还会有其他方向。
“这种情况是站不住脚的”
许多托儿所的经营者表示，他们对不下达关闭大多数托儿所订单的决定表示怀疑。
由于许多设施都在努力跟上必要的清洁措施，因此业界对人员配备水平和进一步传播的风险感到担忧。
在给父母的一封信中，经营着16个日托中心的温哥华儿童中心协会说，它将引入新的COVID-19措施。
育儿人员质疑为什么BC省并没有像其他省份一样下令关闭日托设施。 （本·尼尔姆斯/ CBC）
Childcare operators are questioning why B.C. isn't ordering the closures of daycare facilities like other provinces have done. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
项目经理Arisha Latif写道：“虽然大多数人（尤其是儿童）都患有轻度疾病，但该病毒会引起一系列症状，即使轻度，人们也可能无法识别症状。”
该通知还告知父母，由于参加活动的儿童人数不断减少，营业时间将从上午8点减少到下午5点。太平洋时间周四生效。
拉蒂夫说：“如果您的孩子出勤并出现任何症状，我们将与您联系以接他们。”
Childcare centres and workers across B.C. are questioning the safety of keeping young children in their care while the COVID-19 pandemic rages on.
"This situation is untenable," said the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of B.C. in a statement.
The coalition says every other province except Saskatchewan has issued directives to close childcare programs, along with other measures to support essential workers.
On Thursday, the group sent a letter to Dr. Bonnie Henry requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the reasoning for allowing B.C. childcare programs to remain open.
"We remain highly concerned at the lack of a coordinated approach for children, families, and early childhood educators," said chairperson Susan Harney, adding she recognizes childcare is an essential support for families.
Schools closed
The B.C. government announced Tuesday all schools would be shutting their doors indefinitely due to COVID-19 concerns, while daycares are allowed to stay open.
On Wednesday, the province clarified the reasoning behind that decision: childcare is considered necessary for health-care workers fighting the pandemic on the front lines.
"I do believe childcare is an essential service, particularly for our essential service workers," said provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
"The ministries that are involved ... are putting in place measures to ensure that we can have appropriate, safe care for children who need it."
No requirement to keep daycares open
As B.C.'s top doctor, she reiterated there's currently no requirement for all daycares to stay open.
For those that do, the province says it's working with the childcare sector to ensure they meet provincial health guidelines to protect against COVID-19.
"Certainly, with some daycares it's very difficult to have that distancing and those measures in place and enhanced cleaning that you need," Henry said.
Children in daycare showing signs of a cold are being sent home to self isolate to reduce the potential for the spread of COVID-19. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
The province is currently working directly with the childcare community to look at additional measures, Henry said, and pinpoint which facilities would be most appropriate for childcare.
"How we can best protect everybody — both the childcare operators, the early childhood educators, as well as families — but provide those necessary services for the essential service workers and health-care workers," she said.
Henry suggested additional direction would be coming this week.
'This situation is untenable'
Many childcare operators say they're doubtful of the decision not to issue an order to close most daycares.
There is concern among the industry about staffing levels and the risk of further transmission as many facilities struggle to keep up with the necessary cleaning measures.
In a letter to parents, the Vancouver Society of Children's Centres, which runs 16 daycare centres, said it's introducing new COVID-19 measures.
Childcare operators are questioning why B.C. isn't ordering the closures of daycare facilities like other provinces have done. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
"While most people (especially children) experience mild illness, the virus can cause a range of symptoms and it is possible that people will not recognize symptoms if they are mild," wrote program manager Arisha Latif.
The notice also informs parents that due to the dwindling number of children in attendance, hours of operation would be reduced to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT, effective Thursday.
"If your children are in attendance and present any symptoms, we will be contacting you to pick them up," said Latif.
With files from Cathy Kearney