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COVID-19 Resources and Support

Free COVID-19 Prevention Materials Available

The Snohomish Health District has free COVID-19 prevention info materials available for businesses and organizations in Snohomish County. These include handwashing reminder stickers, posters, VaxUpSnoCo buttons, and more. You can request materials using the online form here. These materials are available for free while supplies last.

Questions about Ventilation?

EPA has a great new site for that: Clean Air in Buildings Challenge (epa.gov)

The Washington State Department of Health COVID/ventilation guidance is good for reducing transmission of respiratory viruses in general and improving indoor air quality: Ventilation and Air Quality for Reducing Transmission of COVID-19 (PDF)

Food and Other Support Available to People with COVID-19
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) would like your help in spreading the word that Care Connect Washington continues to offer food, personal care kits, and financial assistance to people who need to isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19. Making it easier for people to stay home helps slow the spread of the illness. People who need help should call the COVID-19 Information Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #. Language assistance is available. The hotline hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and observed state holidays.

DOH has downloadable social media graphics, as well as a one-page overview PDF in 37 languages. Please feel free to share through your communication channels for families who may be in need of resources and support.

Second Booster Dose of Vaccine
People over the age of 50, and certain immunocompromised individuals, may now receive an additional booster dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine if 4 months or more have passed since their last booster dose. More information is available on the Washington State DOH website. Snohomish County vaccine data and information can be found here.

Additional Resources
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has a great resource providing guidance for schools on accepting over the counter tests for COVID-19. This may be helpful for child cares as well (but it is not required). Here is the link.

Updated AAP guidance on masks: AAP updates interim COVID guidance on masking, treatment, sports | AAP News | American Academy of Pediatrics

The most current Washington State Department of Health guidance for child cares can be found here and an update is expected soon:
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/DOH-OSPI-DYCF-SchoolsChildCareGuidance.pdf

Please continue to report all cases of COVID-19 to childcarehealth@snohd.org, 425-252-5415 (child care program main line), or 425-339-5278 (communicable disease call center).

ABC's for Healthy Kids

This month we continue our ABC's for Healthy Kids feature. We encourage child care providers to take this information from Snohomish Health District and share it with your parents. You can include these mini-articles in your newsletters or print out activity pages from our website to do with children and send them home.

You can learn more or get fun activities for children at www.snohd.org/healthykids.

E is for Eat Fruits and Vegetables

Young bodies and minds are growing and changing quickly. They need nutritious food to help them thrive. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals and more that young bodies and minds need to stay healthy as they grow. There are multiple resources to help connect families with nutritious food if cost is a barrier. Don’t be discouraged if kids don’t like certain fruits or vegetables. There are many different types to try, and many ways to try them.

Read more in our blog: https://www.snohd.org/blog.aspx?iid=58

F for Focus on Physical and Mental Health

F is for Focus on Physical and Mental Health

Keeping our bodies healthy is much easier when we take care of our mental health, too. The same is true in reverse – it’s easier to keep our minds healthy when we are meeting the needs of our bodies. Keeping kids physically healthy includes building good routines for exercise, eating, hygiene and sleep. Mental and emotional health is important even from a young age – children of all ages can experience intense emotions, and adults can help them build skills to cope in healthy ways. Children should learn to listen to their bodies and their feelings, and to recognize when they may need help to keep their body and mind healthy.

Read more in our blog: https://www.snohd.org/blog.aspx?iid=59

Respecting Mask Decisions

With the mask mandate lifted in many settings, some individuals will choose to remove their mask while others will choose to still wear one. Both are OK. Masks may still be required in certain situations, causing some children to feel as though they stand out among their peers. Some children may experience “mask bullying” from children who have made the opposite choice. They may feel a pressure to wear a mask or not wear a mask, depending on what they see their peers doing.

As a child care provider and/or a parent, you can offer support in the following ways:

Model desired behavior – this can include wearing a mask with your child to show that it is OK
Limit vocalizing personal opinions – do not speak negatively about other people’s decisions that may be different from your own
Show empathy – help your child understand that people may experience different situations or risk factors, and each family makes the choice that best fits their needs
Practice reframing or refocusing – model with your child how you might respond to another child who is teasing them about wearing a mask (this can include explaining that it makes you feel safe, or redirecting to another activity)
Encourage speaking up – let your child know that it is OK to talk to you if they feel like they are being bullied, or if they see another child being bullied

Every child deserves to feel safe and supported. Demonstrating respect for others, even when disagreement is present, will help to foster a healthy environment.

Hand Foot and Mouth Disease

We are starting to see more cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease in child cares and schools. We recently updated our parent notification fact sheet for this common childhood illness. Here is the link to the document.
https://www.snohd.org/DocumentCenter/View/6341/Hand-Foot-Mouth-Disease

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states:

In schools and daycares, children should stay home while they have symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease.

You can find parent notification letters for a large number of communicable diseases on our website.

Upcoming Travel Plans?

Do you have staff or families with international travel plans this spring or summer? If so, encourage them to make sure everyone’s immunizations are up-to-date. They may need additional vaccines or doses to protect against diseases in the countries they visit. A travel consultation with their healthcare provider or pharmacist will identify the risks and ensure they have the best protection available. This can help keep illness out of your child care facility.

For current Travel Health information and notices:
Travelers' Health | CDC
For Travel Consultations in Snohomish County:
Resource Directory • Snohomish Health District, WA • CivicEngage (snohd.org)

Advancing Health Literacy

As reminder, please take a few minutes by April 14 to complete the Snohomish Health District (SHD) survey (https://forms.office.com/r/sZMrKRqsZ8). The District appreciates your feedback to understand provider and organizational needs and knowledge around health literacy. It shouldn’t take you more than 5-10 minutes to complete and it will help SHD to create and deliver trainings to build your health literacy knowledge and skills.

Free STARs Credit for Providers Serving the Eastern European Community

If you serve families from Eastern European communities, we are able to provide you and your staff with free STARS credits for completing a related online course. Please reach out to Childcarehealth@snohd.org for information on how to receive your free STARs credit.

The goal of this course is to assist learners in providing resources and relevant information to members of the Eastern European Community to help promote confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines.

Vroom^® Tips for Spring

Here are a couple of Vroom Tips for you to try in your child care or to share with families this month. For more tips, visit: www.vroom.org.

Click here for instructions on how to use our online learning portal.

Image of people using online learning portal.

Click here to go to the online learning website.

This Month's Featured Classes

Building Confidence in the COVID-19 Vaccination

Learn how to protect yourself, your family and community from the COVID-19 virus and its variants through this online training. The course covers information on vaccine hesitancy and building vaccine confidence Subject matter experts in the field provide answers to frequently asked questions. Together we can build community immunity and get back to living a safe and healthy life. This course is being offered free of charge to child care providers in Washington State and offers 1.0 in-service (STARS) credit. Click here to register.

ALSO AVAILABLE IN SPANISH:
Fomento de la confianza en la vacunación COVID-19

Aprenda cómo protegerse a sí mismo, a su familia y a la comunidad del virus COVID-19 a través de la capacitación en línea; Fomento de la confianza en la vacuna COVID-19. El curso cubre información sobre las dudas sobre las vacunas y el fomento de la confianza en las vacunas. Los expertos en la materia en el campo brindan respuestas a las preguntas más frecuentes. Juntos podemos construir la inmunidad comunitaria y volver a vivir una vida segura y saludable. Este curso se ofrece de forma gratuita a los proveedores de cuidado infantil en el estado de Washington y ofrece 1.0 crédito en servicio (STARS). Pulse aquí para registrarse.

Brain Building Moments with Vroom

Take this course to learn all about Vroom, a science-based program that early learning providers can use to promote brain development among children in their care. Brain building with children during their first 5 years gives them a strong base for lifelong learning. Vroom celebrates the powerful motivation that unites caregivers -- a sense of pride and resourcefulness to provide the best start in life for children -- while being flexible and adaptable to meet the unique needs of diverse groups and communities. And Vroom is achievable within the reality of caregivers' busy lives and doesn't require extra time or money. Learn how to access and use this wonderful free resource. This course is free and provides 1 in-service (STARS) credit. Click here to register.

FUNDING FOR THIS COURSE ENDS ON APRIL 30, 2022. Course must be completed by that time.

ALSO AVAILABLE IN SPANISH:
Momentos para desarrollar el cerebro con Vroom

Tome este curso para aprender todo sobre Vroom, un programa basado en la ciencia que los proveedores de aprendizaje temprano pueden utilizar para promover el desarrollo cerebral entre los niños bajo su cuidado. Desarrollando el cerebro con los niños durante los primero 5 años les da una base fuerte para el aprendizaje de por vida. Vroom celebra la poderosa motivación que une a los cuidadores—un sentido de orgullo e ingenio para proporcionar el mejor comienzo de la vida para los niños—al tiempo que es flexible y adaptable para satisfacer las necesidades únicas de diversos grupos y comunidades. Y Vroom se puede lograr dentro de la realidad de las vidas ocupadas de los cuidadores y no requiere tiempo o dinero extra. Aprende a acceder y usar este maravilloso recurso gratuito. Haga clic aquí para registrarse.

Contact Information

Snohomish Health District, 3020 Rucker Ave., Ste. 104, Everett, WA 98201

Email: childcarehealth@snohd.org

Program Phone: 425.252.5415

Website: http://www.snohd.org/238/Child-Care-Providers

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The Child Care Health Outreach Program staff are available to consult with you on these and other health, safety, and nutrition topics by phone, by email, or at your child care.