Connected Beginnings will be sharing the latest information regarding Massachusetts’ response to Corona virus. Please read MA EEC Commissioner Samantha Aigner-Treworgy’s latest message to the field, sent on Sunday, March 15, 11pm. This email has incredibly valuable information for ECE providers and those of us who support the early childhood field.
“Partners, colleagues, friends:
“Tonight, Governor Baker announced additional measures to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus.
“Effective immediately, the Department of Early Education and Care and the Department of Public Health are instructing organizations and providers to take the following steps:
“Cancel or reschedule large events or gatherings of 25 people or more for the foreseeable future. This does not include regular childcare services and is limited to events such as parties, field trips and on-site events not part of daily programming.
“All programs must implement policies on expanded environmental cleaning, whether or not there has been a known case of COVID-19 in the school. Providers must clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily using an EPA-registered disinfectant.
“Additional guidance that early childhood programs may encounter can be found here.
“The governor also announced that all beginning Tuesday, March 17th all Massachusetts public and private K-12 schools will close through April 6th. This is part of the state’s proactive plan to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. As this time, the statewide school closure does not apply to licensed early education and care programs and providers.
“Children are not considered an at-risk population for this coronavirus, and child care is a critical resource for parents, families, businesses and first responders. As long as families continue to work, children need safe places to go. We know that these school closures will increase this need. We are not requiring child care facilities to close at this time.
“We support the decision that each individual, independent provider needs to make to do what’s best for your communities. Please continue working with your local board of health and your EEC licensor during this critical time.
“We will continue to provide resources and payments to programs that close due to COVID-19 related concerns to ensure they can support their staff and families.
“We are also committed to ensure that providers who have the capacity and willingness to expand services to accommodate families serving on the front lines have the resources to do so. If your program is able and prepared to expand in this critical time, please contact EEC by emailing [email protected]
“We have updated our Frequently Asked Questions page to address parent and provider inquiries and will continue to do so.
“Please also refer to the latest guidance released for social distancing to help manage the spread of coronavirus. The guidelines address large gatherings, workplace settings, schools and child care providers.
“We encourage you to stay up to date by also visiting Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 webpage where you will find the latest information and recommendations on how to stay healthy.
“The health and safety of our state’s EEC community is our top priority. As we learn new information, we will continue to share it with you.
This FAQ for ECE providers by MA EEC is a good resource and will answer many of your questions. https://www.mass.gov/service-details/coronavirus-covid-19-eec-frequently-asked-questions