Ministry issues guidelines for reopening of nurseries

With Qatar implementing its four-phased plan of easing COVID-19 restrictions, the next stage will see the openings of more facilities and services to the public.

According to the initial plan, nurseries and childcare facilities will be able to operate in Phase 3, while Phase 4 will mark the beginning of the new academic year in Qatar.

As the country moves closer to Phase 3, set to begin on August 1, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs (MADLSA) has issued a series of guidelines to ensure the safety of children in nurseries.

The Ministry has developed the guidelines for nursery owners and management, as well as workers, teachers and parents, children, and those accompanying them to the nursery or childcare facility.

According to the guidelines, the nursery must send an official letter to the Ministry, confirming that all necessary health requirements have been implemented at the nursery premises.

The letter should be signed by the license holder pledging to comply with all relevant instructions of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). It should also mention that the nursery will not resume operations until it has acquired a written approval from the relevant authorities.

“It is not allowed to open nurseries whose licenses have expired and the license has not been renewed. Also, it is not allowed to open nurseries that did not obtain a health facility license for the nurse’s room from the Ministry of Public Health until the date of opening the nurseries,” the Ministry said.

Further instructions from the Ministry include:

- All employees of the nursery must show the green status on their Ehteraz App.

- It is also mandatory for individuals accompanying the children to and from the nurseries to show the green status on their Ehteraz App.

- Parents should be encouraged to pay fees online or with credit cards. If parents wish to pay by cash, they should place the amount in an envelope, which will be received by the nursery administration from the main gate.

- All members of the staff should undergo a COVID-19 test and nurseries should not start operating unless negative results for all are received.

- Workers who have special conditions including pregnancy or chronic diseases, among others, should be excluded from work in a nursery.

- In case of any infection, the nursery should be closed for 14 days and sterilized. Those infected should be examined again before returning to work or joining the nursery.

- It is not allowed for the nurseries to receive children who have been in contact with a COVID-19 patient. Parents are required to sign a written commitment not to bring the child in case they mingled or their child mingled with any such patients.

- Children with symptoms such as temperature above 37.8°C, dry cough, vomiting, runny nose, and shortness of breath will not be allowed to enter the nursery premises.

- The nursery should also provide thermometers to periodically measure the temperature of children in a nursery, particularly when receiving children. This should be in addition to providing hands sterilizing materials at the nursery's main gate.

- Parents and visitors must not be allowed inside the nursery. Additionally, all children and workers in a nursery are required to take off the shoes outside the nursery, while wearing a special clean shoe inside the premises.

- All nursery employees must wear face masks and gloves during work and avoid touching the eyes, nose, and mouth.

Here's everything you need to know about the virus, including ways to protect yourself.  To know more about testing for COVID-19, click here.

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Source: The Peninsula