One City staff tests positive for coronavirus at Toronto childcare centre

Jul 24 2020, 6:00 pm

One City staff has tested positive for COVID-19 at a Toronto childcare centre.

On Friday, the City of Toronto said that one employee working at Falstaff Early Learning & Child Care Centre has just tested positive for the virus.

“Following public health guidance and health and safety procedures, one of the programs at this City-operated child care centre will be temporarily closed while staff members and children in that program are isolated for 14 days and the room is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized,” the City statement said.

Falstaff Early Learning & Child Care Centre is currently running five programs with 31 children and 26 childcare staff members.

It previously served as an emergency child care centre for essential workers from March 31 to June 26.

According to the City, the Toronto Children’s Services has been following Provincial and Toronto Public Health safety measures, which help to ensure that should there be an outbreak in one program, there is little risk to other programs at that centre.

These safety measures include: smaller group sizes where the same group of children and caregivers remain together for the duration of care; daily screening of children and staff members; children do not share items, such as crayons and toys, but have their own while at the program; increased disinfection practices and limiting the number of people in the centres.

“Globally, COVID-19 outbreaks are continuing to occur in group settings, including in early learning programs, despite practices in place to reduce the spread of the virus,” the City said.

Therefore, self-isolation has become a “normal operating practice” in child care settings as these occurrences are likely to happen “frequently” for the duration of this pandemic.

Right now, any cases in the child care sector are reported to the Ministry.

Clarrie FeinsteinClarrie Feinstein

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