Processing Your Payment

Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.

March 18, 2020

Child-care centers feel virus impact

PHOTO | New Haven BIZ Creating Kids Childcare Center on Wall Street in New Haven. An answering machine informs callers the center is closed until further notice.
By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker this week ordered the closing of all city child-care businesses that serve more than 12 children.

The emergency order, however, allows day-care centers to provide care services for any child whose parent or legal guardian is a health-care provider.

“In a continued effort to protect the health of our residents, I am ordering that all day-care and child-care centers close as a result of the growing public health emergency surrounding COVID-19,” Elicker said in an announcement. “We are still allowing child-care facilities to provide care for health-care workers.”

As of Tuesday night, 68 Connecticut residents had tested positive for the coronavirus, according to Gov. Ned Lamont, who indicated the number of people actually infected is “probably much more.”

Elicker noted that public schools have already been closed, and while it appears that children are “less likely to get seriously sick,” he noted that they can still potentially spread the virus. 

“Therefore we believe it is critical from a public health perspective to close day-care and child-care centers as well,” Elicker said. “I realize that this will add another burden to families and care providers. We have weighed this risk and strongly believe this is the right public-health decision.”

He noted that the city is in a state of emergency, and he called it critical that people limit interaction with others.

Lamont, meanwhile, spoke specifically at a press conference Tuesday afternoon about the need for day-care services statewide.

“Keep your day-care centers open,” Lamont said. “There are health-care workers who need to be able to go to work.”

Lamont asked citizens to first rely on a trusted family member for child care. Also, if people are telecommuting, he urged them to give up their day-care spot to health-care workers. 

The state’s Office of Early Childhood is actively working to make child care available for health-care staff and first responders, according to the governor’s office. 

According to the OEC, it encourages citizens to look to relatives, neighbors and friends who are not in a high-risk category for childcare. Dial 2-1-1 to be directed to child-care resources in your area. Click here for more information.

Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.

Sign up for Enews

Most Recent

Most Recent

0 Comments

Order a PDF