Montreal’s public health on Monday put on pause the directive of the Ministry of Health which exempted children and early childhood educators who had been in contact with a positive person in a daycare center from isolating themselves, or from taking a test. screening for COVID-19, unless symptoms develop.
“We are in discussion with Quebec on the file,” confirmed Jean-Nicolas Aubé, director of communications at the CIUSSS du Center-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.
On December 30, following the announcement of a new series of health measures by Quebec, daycare centers received new directives concerning the management of COVID-19 cases in their establishments. It indicated that children and educators who have been in contact with a person positive for the virus in daycare would no longer have to take a test for COVID-19, or isolate themselves for 10 days, unless they develop symptoms related to the disease.
Remember that young children are not required to wear a mask in their childcare setting.
These children are, however, considered “moderate” contacts by the authorities. It is recommended that they avoid social contact for 10 days, especially with vulnerable people, and that their parents monitor their symptoms.
This new directive had been denounced by several experts, who feared that children would become important vectors of transmission, reported Press Sunday.
With Lila Dussault, Press