January Newsletter 2024
Teri Ann Cox
Executive Director of The Children’s Center
Dear Center Families,
As we kick off the new year, I want to first wish you all the very best in 2024. May the year ahead be filled with much light and love! And may it overall be a healthy year as well.
You may have seen or heard in the news that unfortunately, norovirus (the common and highly contagious stomach bug that causes diarrhea and vomiting), was on the rise again in the United States, just in time for the holidays. We had several children and staff out before and after Christmas and suspect more will likely come given the winter seasonality of the infection. Please remember, handwashing with soap and warm water is extremely important – especially before eating and after toileting. Please note: Hand sanitizer does not work against norovirus!
Based on infectious experts’ predictions, January will also be a difficult month as it relates to respiratory illness. Vaccination rates overall are low – only 14.8%-17% of American adults 18 and older have received an updated monoclonal Covid shot, about 40% have gotten their flu shots, and in November, only 14.3% of eligible adults 60 years or older had received their RSV vaccines (although this latter number expects to now be higher with elders in nursing homes likely having received them). Trials have shown that a single dose of the RSV vaccine is 80-90% effective at preventing RSV – and similarly, 80% effectiveness has been noted in clinical studies for infants and very young children. Public health advises: It’s not too late to get any of these vaccines you or your child may be eligible for!
As always, we will exclude from childcare and preschool any child with vomiting, diarrhea, or new and unexplained symptom(s) of COVID-19, influenza, or RSV. We will expect testing for the coronavirus regardless of vaccination status or if a child already had COVID-19 more than 30 days ago because reinfection with new variants remain possible. FlowFlex home test kits will continue to be available to you free of cost. We ask that you keep your child at home if they are sick, and if your child clearly has a respiratory illness that persists, we urge you to have them seen by their pediatrician.
Here’s to good health and a happy new year! With much appreciation,
Teri Ann
