Daycares taking in toddlers under the age of 3 should close only if one staff member or at least two kids in the same bubble test positive for Covid-19.
In an update to its guidelines, federal health institute Sciensano said daycares should only close if a Covid-19 cluster, made up of two children in the same group, emerges in their structure.
The only other scenario under which child care providers should shutter is if at least one member of staff is confirmed as Covid-19 positive, Sciensano said.
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A child under 3 who tests positive for Covid-19 must be kept at home in quarantine "until their state of health improves," but the daycare should not close.
The child will be able to return to the day care after spending seven days in self-isolation at home and on the condition of having no fever for the last three days of quarantine as well as a "significant improvement" of symptoms.
When there is a single case of Covid-19 among children, other kids and staff member in the same group will be considered "low risk," meaning they will not be required to get tested nor to quarantine.
A second child in the same bubble must be tested if they develop symptoms 14 days after the first child first became sick.
If the second child's test is positive it means the daycare has a cluster and must close and other kids, as well as staff members who had had close contact, must go into self-isolation.
"All children and staff members in the same bubble are considered as close contacts and must go into quarantine. A test is only recommended for adults."
If the second child's test comes back as negative, the toddler must still remain in self-isolation but the daycare centre must not close, Sciensano said.
The Brussels Times
