Parents, daycare workers say they are upset about the change and do not feel safe
Parents and child-care providers are questioning the province’s decision to remove the quarantine requirements for young children who come into close contact with COVID-19 cases.
“I’m angry,” said Natasha Malone, who runs a private daycare, Parkridge Early Learning Centre, at her home in Prince George.
The provincial health officer announced the change Tuesday, attributing it to the Omicron variant, which she said is causing milder and shorter illnesses among B.C.’s infected.
“You don’t need to isolate if you’ve been in contact and you’re a healthy child,” Dr. Bonnie Henry said at a briefing about daycare facilities, which are deemed by the province an essential service.
Following Henry’s announcement, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control released new guidelines for child-care spaces late Wednesday, including that children who were in contact with a COVID-19 patient are allowed to go to daycare without having to quarantine if they are symptom-free.
