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Gov. Mike DeWine announced a raft of restarts at his May 14 briefing, including the upcoming reopening of child care centers, many of which have been closed for two months.
Child care centers allowed to reopen on May 31
- Published: May 15, 2020
Child care centers can reopen on Sunday, May 31, provided they meet new state safety requirements, Gov. Mike DeWine announced at yesterday’s press briefing.
Requirements include reduced class sizes and intensified cleaning and handwashing protocols. Full guidelines are available here, and a factsheet for parents is available here.
The reopening comes several weeks after the restart of other sectors of the Ohio economy, including manufacturing, distribution, construction and general office on May 4, and retail on May 12. Some Ohioans have expressed concern that parents have been asked to return to work prior to the reopening of child care facilities.
Ohio closed child care centers on March 22 to slow the spread of COVID-19. About two-thirds of the state’s over 3,500 licensed providers have been shut down since that time, with about 1,100 continuing to operate under a special pandemic license.
Locally, the Yellow Springs Community Children’s Center, which closed under the state order, will restart on June 1. Summarizing the local center’s new procedures, Director Malissa Doster wrote in an email to the News:
We will be following strict guidelines put in place by the CDC and ODJFS. Hand washing will happen between every transition including pick up and drop off, wellness checks for staff and children upon arrival, curbside pick up and drop off, face masks worn by teachers and administrators, Teachers will be following and signing off on a more rigorous cleaning schedules. What we don’t want to do is fully eliminate social and emotional practices. We are going to try to find that balance between following health and safety protocols and practicing social/ emotional development.
And a post to the center’s Facebook page this morning announcing the reopening asked for community help in supplying center staff with face masks:
As the economy begins to re open and parents are going back to work, YSCCC is excited to continue educating our future leaders as of June 1. There are a variety of updated mandatory & best practice guidances established by ODJFS to ensure that we continue to put safety and health first! We are in the process of stocking up on cleaning supplies and one item that ODJFS recommends are face masks. We currently have a total of 18 teachers/ administrators and would need each staff member to have at least 3. Is there anyone that can make them for us before June 1? Your help is greatly appreciated! Please send me an email if you are able to help yschildrenscenterdirector@gmail.com.
According to DeWine yesterday, the state will use more than $60 million in federal CARES funding to help child care providers cover the costs associated with reopening under the new guidelines.
In other restart news—
Campgrounds, gyms and fitness centers, pools, non-contact sports leagues, horseracing and certain services at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles are all reopening this month, DeWine also announced yesterday.
In addition, day camps can reopen on May 31, the same day as child care centers. Details will be forthcoming.
Campgrounds: May 21
Campgrounds can reopen if they follow state safety guidelines, available here.
Horseracing (No Spectators): May 22
No spectators are allowed. Casinos and racinos have not yet been reopened.
Gyms and Fitness Centers: May 26
Gyms and fitness centers can reopen if they follow state safety guidelines, available soon.
Public/Club Pools: May 26
Public and club pools that are regulated by the local health department are permitted to reopen. According to the CDC, there is no evidence that COVID-19 can spread to people through the water used in pools with proper operation and disinfection. State safety guidelines will be available soon.
In Yellow Springs, Gaunt Park Pool is slated to reopen on June 1, according to Village Manager Josué Salmerón. The pool will reopen with new safety restrictions that will change how the pool operates, Salmerón said. These restrictions include lowered pool occupancy, designated time frames for pool use followed by periods of cleaning throughout the day and an online reservation system. More details will be made available soon.
Sports Leagues (Non-Contact, Limited Contact): May 26
Non-contact and limited contact sports such as golf, baseball, softball, tennis and other paddle sports are permitted to reopen with specific safety protocols, to be released soon. Higher-contact sports such as lacrosse, soccer and basketball remain closed; safety protocols are under development.
Bureau of Motor Vehicles (Certain Services): May 26
BMV locations will reopen for certain services. However, many services are available online, and Ohio continues to encourage residents to utilize these online services, which include registration, plate replacement and address updates.
One Response to “Child care centers allowed to reopen on May 31”
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With the warmer weather here people are going to be having yard sales. There are guidelines to help keep people safe. Wearing masks and disposable gloves is part of those guidelines. Here is a link for more information:
https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/checklists/english-checklists/Garage-Sales-and-Outdoor-Retail-Sales-COVID-19-Checklist
These guidelines should apply to outdoor sales that are held to benefit charitable causes as well. Following safety precautions helps protect us all. Be safe; stay well.