Information Guidance for MAMBEC

Child Care includes before / after school programs, inservice day programs, camps and short-term programs that provide care through recreational activity/education to school aged children. This document should be used to support MAMBEC staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries/families in reducing the risk of transmission of Covid-19.

COVID-19 Risk Mitigation

General COVID-19 Risk Mitigation for Staff and Participants

Public Spaces 

• Mambec Students will be in groups of 15 including Staff and will physical Distance where possible
• Groups of 15 will physically distance from other groups of 15.
• While outdoor recreation activities are permitted at playgrounds, parks, trails and opens spaces (e.g. soccer fields and ball diamonds) using these facilities will remain at the discretion of the Program Director based on guidance by Public Health.

Individual Actions & Precautions 

• Wash your hands frequently.
• In Cole Harbour Place masks must be worn by Adults and Children over the age of 10.
• Masks do not have to be worn during Martial Art class.
• Refrain from touching your face with hands.
• Staff will carry and use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol content to apply for the kids when necessary. Caution should be taken around common touch points; proper hand hygiene should be practiced.

• Teach Cough Courtesy Protocol.
• Workers, Volunteers, Patron, and Children must be screened for COVID-19 symptoms.
• Prohibit entry to any worker, volunteer, child or patron who is sick or symptomatic.
• Ensure staff are trained on hygiene and sanitation in order to prevent the spread of infection.
• Schedule frequent cleaning.
• Regularly clean and disinfect any high-touch areas and equipment touched by workers, volunteers, and patrons.
• Equipment should be assigned to individual groups only.
• Hand washing stations and/or hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol will be available for patrons.
• Opportunities for surfaces to be touched by patrons will be minimized as much as possible. Personal cell phones will be used for sign-in and sign-out, as well as for messaging about your child during the day.
• Appropriate signage outside all building entries, throughout the Centre will inform/advise on measures to be taken.

MAMBEC COVID-19 General Safety 

• One (1) Parent can drop off a child, however, parent and child must enter through the door under the pedway and exit through the door under the clock.
• MAMBEC programs will operate in groups of 15 people. This includes both staff and children. If more than 15, 6 foot physical dustancing will be applied. 
• Staff members, parents or guardians and children must not attend the program if they are sick, even if symptoms resemble a mild cold.
• Do not specifically ask kids to come to you with what they think are symptoms. Staff and Group Leaders must look for symptoms. Kids are welcome to approach staff when feeling ill.
• Symptoms to look for include: fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, headache, nausea, and a general feeling of being unwell.
• Children’s temperatures will be checked before sign-in.
• Staff must conduct active symptom screening of each child every day with the parent or guardian as they drop off their children.
• MAMBEC will keep daily records of anyone entering or attending the day camp who stays for 15 minutes or longer (e.g. staff working each day, children, etc.).
• Records must be kept up-to-date and available to facilitate contact tracing in the event of an outbreak.
• All visitors or special guests will be documented.
• If MAMBEC is reported as having a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19, we will be required to close for a minimum of 48 hours to allow contact tracing, and then adhere to recommendations from NS Public Health.

Illness 

• If a child develops symptoms while at the program, the child will be isolated away from other children and the parent or guardian will be notified to come and pick up the child immediately. If a separate space is not available, the child will be kept at least 2 metres away from other children.
• If a child requires close contact and care, staff will continue to care for the child until the parent or guardian is able to pick them up.
• Staff will wear a mask or shield during all interactions with the child and will avoid contact with the child’s respiratory secretions.
• Staff will wash their hands before donning a mask or shield, and before and after removing the mask or shield (as per mask guidance), and before and after touching any items used by the child.
• All items used by the child while isolated will be cleaned and disinfected as soon as the child has been picked up.
• Items that cannot be cleaned and disinfected (e.g. paper, books, cardboard puzzles) will be removed from the program and stored in a sealed container for a minimum of 10 days.
• If a staff person develops illness while at work, they will immediately remove themselves from any contact with others, notify their supervisor, go home, and call 811.
• If a parent, guardian, family member, or bubble member of any program participant feels unwell, or becomes ill, they are to inform MAMBEC immediately, and please, do not allow participant to attend camp.

Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures 

• MAMBEC has developed procedures for drop off and pick up that support physical distancing and separate groups to the greatest extent possible. Document will be provided by text, or email as necessary.

Physical Distancing 

• Groups of 15 cannot mix with other groups of 15 or be within 6 feet of another group in the same room/space at the same time, including pickups and drop-offs, mealtimes, playtime, outdoor activities, staff rooms, etc.
• Where possible, physical distancing practices will occur. MAMBEC staff and participants will be encouraged to avoid close greetings like hugs or handshakes and encourage physically distant greetings such as “air fives” and waves. Plan for physically distant activities such as shadow tag and avoid activities that require clustering around an item or small area.

Use of Shared Spaces 

• Only one group of 15 at a time may use the same outdoor play space. Following physical distancing practices when possible.
• It is recommended that cleaning be done by either the cleaning staff, or by staff within the group directly before the group enters the space and after it exits the space.
• A cleaning log will be posted and used to track cleaning.

Program Planning 

To help plan activities, staff should ask themselves the following questions to determine the risk of the activities and whether they can proceed: 

• Does the activity violate a public health order?
• Does the activity involve shared surfaces or objects frequently touched by hands?
• Can an activity be modified to increase opportunities for physical distancing?
• Stagger lunch/snack breaks to promote physical distancing among participants.

Information/Guidance for Outdoor Recreation Time

To ensure the safety of children, families, and communities, the relaxing of restrictions on certain outdoor recreation opportunities will follow a measured approach, in accordance with public health guidance. How participants engage, and how equipment and facilities are used, cleaned, and in some cases monitored, will need to be adapted and modified. We kindly ask for everyone’s patience and cooperation while we develop these internal measures.

Overall, our intention is to follow similar provincial guidelines when using outdoor spaces/parks for our program as per how the province and/or municipality may allow. 

MAMBEC Inc. 2003 — 51 Forest Hills Parkway, Cole Harbour Place, Dartmouth, N.S. B2W 6C6

899789002 RT0001