As of July 1, 2024, all child care facilities in Washoe County are licensed by the State of Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services Child Care Licensing Program (DWSS CCL). As a result, the information in this post may no longer be valid but is being preserved on the NEWS page for historical purposes. Please refer to the DWSS CCL website for the most current information.
The Washoe County Health District has notified Washoe County Child Care Licensing that the new five-day isolation guidance from the CDC does not apply to child care centers, schools, and other congregate facilities. There is expected to be specific guidance issued for child care and schools in the coming weeks, which we will relay as soon as we are made aware. Until further notice, any person in a child care setting (child or adult) that has been exposed to COVID-19 is still required to isolate for 10 days. If you were given different guidance from the Health District regarding a shortened COVID-19 quarantine period within the last week, you do not need to retroactively change the isolation period.
As a reminder, mask use continues to be required in all public indoor settings, including child care facilities, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. This applies to all adults in a child care facility, including staff and parents, as well as children ages 10 and older. Masks are not specifically required for children ages nine and younger in line with the exceptions laid out in Governor Sisolak’s Directive 024; however, it is strongly recommended by the CDC and Child Care Licensing that masks are used by children ages two and up who attend child care. Children under five cannot be vaccinated and remain vulnerable to COVID-19, making child care centers especially impacted by this pandemic. Washoe County Child Care Licensing is alerted daily of known exposures in child care centers and associated quarantines. Recently, there has been a noted uptick in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in child care facilities, resulting in several classroom and center closures throughout the community. Each exposure impacts not only the child’s family, but all children they are in contact with, their parents, and center staff. Consistent mask usage and other safety measures serve to increase safety and decrease the impact of this virus on your businesses as much as possible.
Guidance regarding face coverings and quarantine periods is regularly and often rapidly changing. Please continue to communicate with the Washoe Health District following COVID-19 exposures for guidance on the most appropriate response and quarantine period. Washoe County Child Care Licensing will also continue to keep you updated as guidance changes.