Horizon Education Centers is aware of the growing concerns of the coronavirus (COVID-19). As a child care facility, it is standard practice for all Horizon employees to follow precautions from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to protect against the spread of infectious diseases.
In addition to our already implemented infection control policies, Horizon is following ODH’s recommendations to prevent the spread of coronavirus in child care centers. These include:
- Conducting school-wide training for staff on handwashing, cleaning high-touch surfaces when students change rooms, and cough etiquette
- Cleaning all surfaces multiple times daily
- Implementing hand washing routines among all students and staff
- Sending home students and staff if they exhibit signs and symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath)
All Horizon employees take a six-hour training on communicable diseases and policies, and we follow the Ohio Department of Health Communicable Disease chart (JFS 08087) for appropriate management of suspected illnesses within our centers.
Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette — like coughing or sneezing into the elbow — is practiced daily and cleaning/sanitizing of classrooms and buildings, which include the use of diluted bleach.
Management of illness policies are in place for children and staff that become ill. Horizon has set guidelines for parents/staff in its handbook to determine when a child/staff can return to a center following an illness. At the discretion of the center director, a doctor's written approval may be requested for readmission to the center.
Should My Child Stay Home?
You should keep your child home from school or child care if they:
- Have a fever of 100 degrees or higher
- Are vomiting or have diarrhea
- Have a rash
- Have a sore throat
- Continuous cough
- Nasal discharge
- Have an eye infection
- Or have been in the hospital
Children can return to child care or school when they are fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medicines, have not vomited or had diarrhea in 24 hours or have been released by a medical professional.
For more information on Horizon and COVID-19, please contact your center director.
