I am a home provider- was registered, then approved & later Licensed over years- about 3 years ago, I went to just being an exempt home.
I've had 4 FT kiddos for awhile now & 1 kiddo 2 days per week.
Kiddo #1. Mom has been unemployed for several months now, but brought kiddo to hold her spot while looking for a job...
Kiddo #2. Mom/dad BOTH work at a hospital. One in the office & the other in ordering
Kiddo #3. Moms a nurse at our clinic- she just flew to Mexico with a family member, to help her through a medical procedure over there. She returns Monday... at which time both mom & dad must quarantine for 2 weeks.
Kiddo #4. Mom works in a grocery store office-
Kiddo #5 is only 2 days per week... mom is a nurse practitioner.
So ALL work in "essential" jobs...
#1- is off indefinitely as she isn't working anyhow.
#2- She is here Mon-Fri 8-5 & they want to continue BUT dad will still be paid if he stays home
#3- Will be out for quarantine as of 3/30
#4- last week kiddo (2.5) coughed a bit- but not bad. No more coughing until TODAY. He coughed quite a bit- then during nap, he coughed enough that he was not able to sleep. I text her and she said she has allergies right now, & thinks he does as well? BUT HOW DO WE KNOW???
#5- This last Monday, mom asked if I wanted her hubby to keep kiddo- he is military & is on his 2nd week of quarantine after flying out of Detroit a week ago. I told her that yes, I would prefer this, because I am terrified of cross contamination! Little one was sleeping with daddy as we were texting, so they did not quarantine from one another for sure...
So today as mom of #4 came to pick him up- she was crying- I asked if everything was okay (she works for my SIL & I'm quite sure it was okay to leave work) As I ask her- she BURST into tears
Telling me she HAS to work and she has kept kiddo away from ANYONE the past 2 weeks and she doesn't know HOW he could have anything because he hasn't been out. (he does have a 7 y/o brother who is staying with his grandpa and how do we know HE hasn't been around others?
Now I feel HORRIBLE for having her pick up, but I cannot be SURE it is just allergies or another 'bug'?
Anyhow- I live on an island in AK. with a population of around 3000. We don't have any confirmed cases here yet, but overall in our state there are 70 confirmed. In our community, there are 18 tests sent out- with 7 coming back negative so far... I don't know if I should close for a couple weeks while I have a very low count... or keep pushing along? I just DON'T KNOW. Our town is in a 'Shelter in Place' mandate as of last night.
I am 62 next month & have type2 diabetes, though mostly controlled by meds & diet (not insulin) & I have slight asthma. ANY time I get a 'bug' it becomes a bad chest cold- just seems to go straight to my chest. I AM WORRIED.
One of our good friends, who lived here, was airlifted to a lower 48 hospital a couple months ago- he was sick & elderly, but was getting better and moved to a rehab facility to ready him to get back home... then he got sicker & was back in the hospital- he passed away- they got his positive covid-19 test just a few hours before he died. Oddly, he is considered Alaskas first fatality to covid-19... even though he got it AND passed down there- he is in the news as being Alaskas first fatality. His adult son has tested positive as well- but is doing very well (they live in WA now) he is on day 9 of quarantine & has very little symptoms- but this has really brought this home to me and I'd be lying if I said I was not VERY nervous!
But DO I CLOSE? Do I wait for the first covid case in our town? And if so- WHEN do I reopen? My hubby is kind of poo pooing my closing- I find myself going to bed at 8pm... just wanting to curl up and sleep ALL the time because I'm depressed & have no idea WHAT I really should do.
Ive had a daycare for like 30 years or more- I've NEVER run into anything like this and I am jut so unsure what to do
Stay healthy everyone!!