What health and safety protocols should I look for in a good nursery?

As the pandemic continues, schools have ramped up their health and safety protocol in an effort to combat the virus. Here are some of the important protocols you should look for when choosing a nursery. 

Comprehensive mask-wearing practices 

Everyone understands the importance of wearing masks, and that’s why it’s even more important that you verify that the school enforces mask-wearing for everyone. 

• All staff must wear protective face coverings when entering the school.
• All parents and children who enter the school must wear a mask. If it is not possible for the smaller children to wear a mask, a face shield can be used as an alternative.

Consistent temperature checks

Temperature-taking is common practice nowadays, but make sure you look out for mandatory travel history declarations. Infrared thermometers are also preferred because they can measure temperature from a distance, maintaining the 1.5m social distancing guideline. 

• Each family must submit a temperature record for the child and travel history declaration forms before attending the school campus. 
• Anyone entering the campus must be checked by infrared thermometers to check for any fluctuations in temperature. 
• Frequent temperature checks will be conducted throughout the day.

Strengthened cleanliness and hygiene practices

Finally, many places claim to have “strengthened hygiene protocols” but what does that actually entail? Here are some key points to look for in a nursery:  

• Anyone entering the school campus must immediately sanitize their hands and remove their outdoor shoes. 
• All learning materials must be sanitized between lessons. 
• Increased frequency for sanitizing all surfaces and items in classrooms. 
• Students must use an individual sensory tray instead of a sensory table. 
• Snack time is temporarily suspended.

Air purification and Fresh Air Ventilation

Air quality is an important health consideration especially given the current COVID-19 pandemic. Fresh air ventilation is just as important as good hygiene and mask practices, and can decrease virus transmission range and mitigate allergies. For more on this see our other article about the importance of fresh air and ventilation indoors.