Staying Safe During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak

With the ongoing concerns about the COVID-19, we want you to know the safety of our afterschool network staff and the children and families you serve are of the utmost importance to us.
As each of you navigate COVID-19 in your communities, we want to provide as much guidance as we can by sharing information and resources as it becomes available.
Here are some important reminders for everyday actions to help prevent the spread of any respiratory virus, including COVID 19:
· Wash hands often for 20 seconds and encourage others to do the same.
· If no soap and water are available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
· Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue away.
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
· Disinfect surfaces, buttons, handles, knobs, and other places touched often.
· Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
· It is recommended that you start practicing social distancing. Social distancing involves staying away from other people to avoid catching or spreading illness. It’s a fancy term for avoiding crowds and minimizing physical contact. This could mean avoiding concerts or weddings, skipping the handshake, and/or staying at least six feet away from others.
COVID-19: Considerations for the Afterschool Field
  • Follow and share guidance from the CDC on practices such as hand washing, social distancing, and limiting contact. Providers also should review and follow CDC’s guidelines for child-care and youth-serving organizations.
  • Remind families that if children or parents have symptoms, they should not attend the program. Step up your cleaning and disinfecting, and communicate your actions to families.
  • Check local guidance. Make sure you know local guidance and processes, such as who to contact if you have a scenario involving quarantines, possible infection among parents, staff, or children. Check with:
·       SC Department of health and Human Services
·       SC Department of Social Services (Agency that regulates or licenses your program)
·       Your school district
  • Keep up on local policies that may be changing. For example, some school districts are now asking children to stay home for 72 hours following any fever.
  • Emergency Contact Information: Take time to review and update emergency contact information for each child enrolled in your program
  • Think ahead: Make sure you and your staff know what to do if a parent, child, or staff member is diagnosed or quarantined, and contingency plans should your program need to close. Keep an open dialogue with staff.
  • Address anxiety and stress through staying calm and focusing on prevention and preparedness.
  • We hear a lot about good hygiene and washing hands these day but here are some ideas to make handwashing both fun and educational. https://educators.brainpop.com/lesson-plan/washing-hands-activities-for-kids/
  • How we talk to our children and young adults about the pandemic is important, particularly those who already experience anxiety or trauma. Here is a guide about the outbreak for parents, that works well for educators and you can share with families.
  • Remote Learning: As school districts close and students are asked to stay home, there are ways to continue to engage your youth through virtual lessons. The American Federation of Teachers has a wealth of resources to help with learning at home. Want to talk through ideas? They also have an online discussion community where you can share ideas, lesson plans, and resources.
Here are some resources we have assembled to provide additional guidance, which you can view at the links below.
The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is closely monitoring COVID-19. DHEC is investigating multiple cases of COVID-19 in South Carolina. If you have a fever, cough or shortness of breath, call your doctor or healthcare provider to discuss concerns or get medical care. You can also use MUSC Health’s Virtual Visit by using the promo code “COVID19” when you login. This is free to South Carolina residents. For general questions about COVID-19, the DHEC Care Line is here to help. Call 1-855-472-3432. Staff are answering calls from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. Click HERE for more details
For those of you who were planning to attend the NAA Convention and/or the Afterschool for All Challenge, you should have received communications from NAA and the Afterschool Alliance about their transitions to virtual settings for both events. More details will be sent to you as it becomes available.
The South Carolina Afterschool Alliance’s (SCAA) operations may gradually change as more information about COVID-19 is provided. To mitigate any potential risk, SCAA may suspend visits and observations to programs and transition work to virtual platforms as we continue to learn more. Please know we are monitoring the situation closely and are here to help if there is anything we can do. Do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
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