Early Care & Education
COVID-19 Toolkit
Ver página en Español
On March 13, new LAC DPH Isolation and Quarantine Guidelines will be in effect. The information on this page will be updated to align with the new guidelines.
Key Document Quick Links
- Guidance for Early Childcare Education Providers:
English | Español | Additional Languages (updated 10/27/22) - Exposure Management Plan for ECE:
English | Español | Additional Languages (updated 12/19/22) - Exposure Notification Letter Templates: (updated
1/27/23)
English | Español - Actions for Isolation and Close Contact Flowcharts for Children and Staff:
English | Español - Decision Pathways for Symptoms and Exposures
in ECE Centers & TK-12 Schools:
English | Español | Additional Languages (updated 8/15/22) - Data Dictionary:
English | Español - COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Toolkit - for Early Childhood Partners
- Request COVID-19 Antigen Test Kits
- CDPH COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test Expiration Extensions:
English | Spanish
Flu and RSV resources:
Welcome
Early care and education programs are necessary and important to communities. They have a tremendous impact on the health, growth, and development of children and support the overall well-being of families in Los Angeles County. This COVID-19 Early Care and Education (ECE) Toolkit is designed as a resource to help center-based child care programs and family child care homes prepare for and respond to COVID-19. It contains important guidance from the Los Angeles County (LAC) Department of Public Health (DPH), templates for creating useful documents, answers to frequently asked questions in ECE settings, as well as links to selected resources from local, state, and national sources. This toolkit should help you implement strategies to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks and report COVID-19 cases if and when they occur at your child care site.
General Guidance for Childcare Providers
- The LAC DPH Guidance for Early Childcare Education Providers (updated
10/27/22) summarizes the requirements and best practices for early care
and education (ECE) providers to enhance safety and lower the risk of COVID-19 transmission within their ECE settings.
English | Español | العربية | հայերեն | អក្សរខ្មែរ | 简体中文 | 繁體中文 | فارسى | 日本語 | 한국어 | Русский | Tagalog | Tiếng Việt - In addition to following the Guidance for ECE Providers listed above, licensed and license-exempt child care providers should continue to follow the COVID-19 requirements and recommendations in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Guidance for Child Care Providers and Programs. Providers should also follow all applicable California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and Community Care Licensing (CCL) Provider Information Notices (PINs), in addition to requirements and recommendations from the California Department of Industrial Relations Division of Occupational Safety & Health (Cal/OSHA), and LAC DPH.
Reporting, Management of COVID-19 Infections and Exposures, and Notifications in ECE
Exposure Management Plan (EMP): What to Do When You Have a COVID-19 Case at Your Facility
- The Los Angeles County Exposure Management Plan (EMP) for Early Care and Education (updated 12/19/22) details the recommended and required steps for managing exposures to 1, 2, and 3 or more COVID-19 cases at ECE facilities. Immediate implementation of an exposure management plan after identifying a case of COVID-19 can help speed up the ability to contain spread of COVID-19 and prevent that case from becoming an outbreak.
English | Español | العربية | հայերեն | អក្សរខ្មែរ | 简体中文 | 繁體中文 | فارسى | 日本語 | 한국어 | Русский | Tagalog | Tiếng Việt
ECE sites should have an EMP in place prior to identifying a COVID-19 positive case. Designate a person to be familiar with COVID-19 safety protocols.
Instructions for Cases and Close Contacts
Flowcharts for ECE sites that provide guidance on actions for those in isolation and those identified as close contacts. (English | Spanish)
Managing Symptoms and Exposures among Children and Staff
- Decision Pathways for Symptoms and Exposures in ECE Centers and TK-12 Schools (updated
8/15/22): Flow charts for managing children and staff who have symptoms while at the early care and education center.
English | Español | العربية | հայերեն | អក្សរខ្មែរ | 简体中文 | 繁體中文 | فارسى | 日本語 | 한국어 | Русский | Tagalog | Tiếng Việt
Requirements for Reporting Clusters at Your Facility
ECE providers are required to notify the LAC Department of Public Health (DPH) of all clusters of 3 or more cases of COVID-19 in a classroom, office, or other pre-defined or identifiable group (i.e., cohort) who were on campus at any point within the 14 days prior to illness onset date. Cases include employees, children/students, and visitors with confirmed COVID-19. The illness onset date is the date COVID-19 symptoms started, or the COVID-19 test date, whichever is earlier. All cluster notifications should be submitted to DPH within 1 business day of the school/program being notified of the third, or last, case in the cluster through the reporting method outlined below.
- Online reporting: Clusters of 3 or more ECE-associated
COVID-19 cases should be reported online
through the secure web application, Shared
Portal for Outbreak Tracking (SPOT). This can
be done on a computer or mobile device.
- If reporting multiple cases, you may choose to use the “Bulk Upload Template” (an Excel file) located within the SPOT portal to submit your report.
- Training resources: for how to report COVID-19 clusters through SPOT:
A cluster of 3 or more cases of COVID-19 (child or staff) in an ECE setting must also be reported to the local Community Care Licensing Division Child Care Offices.
Notifications for Staff, Students, and Families
Parents and staff must be notified of a confirmed COVID-19 case at your ECE site. This communication can be in the form of a letter. Sample notification letters are provided below with a description of their use and can be tailored to your facility's needs.
Exposure Notification Letter Templates (updated 1/27/23) English | Español
- Isolation Notification Letter for ECE Sites: Notification letter for staff or parents of children who need to isolate due to a positive COVID-19 viral test result.
- Exposure Notification Letter for ECE Sites: Educational sites providing activities and services for children, students, and staff are required to notify all children, students and staff who had an exposure or potential exposure to a person with COVID-19 during their infectious period while at the facility.
- General Exposure Notification Letter for ECE Sites: Educational sites providing activities and services for children, students, and staff may choose to notify the general community of an exposure that has occurred at the site and make the community aware of precautions to take to prevent spread.
- Additional signage (Exposure Notice) may be posted to inform the community of potential exposure at the ECE site to COVID-19.
Workplace Guidance
Information for ECE Providers and Employers
- Cal/OSHA Non-Emergency Regulations
- ECE providers may have questions or concerns about protecting employees from COVID-19 at their site(s). The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) COVID-19 Non-Emergency Regulations offer COVID-19 guidance to employers. For more information, visit www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus/.
- LAC DPH Workplace Response and Best Practices for Businesses and Employers
- ECE providers should also review the DPH Best Practices for COVID-19 Prevention for Businesses and Employers webpage at publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/ncorona2019/bestpractices/.
- LAC DPH also has a guide for responding to COVID-19 cases in the workplace which can be found at: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/ncorona2019/workplaceresponse/.
- Worker's Rights and Benefits Related to COVID-19
- LAC DPH offers a pamphlet on COVID-19 Safety: Workers' Rights in California. This document has important information for employees about workplace rights and government benefits for those affected by the pandemic.
COVID-19 Prevention
Information on Ventilation, Vaccination, and More
- Ventilation
- ASHRAE Ventilation Guidance
- CDC Interactive School Ventilation Tool
- CDPH guidance on improving indoor air quality in schools Webpage | English PDF | Spanish PDF
- Encourage COVID-19 Vaccination
- COVID-19 vaccines are now available for children 6 months and older! COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and are the best way to prevent outbreaks in the workplace and in the community.
- To find a COVID-19 vaccine location visit LAC | DPH | COVID-19 Vaccination - How to get vaccinated (lacounty.gov)
- More information on COVID-19 vaccines, safety, and how to get vaccinated is available at VaccinateLAcounty.com (English) and VacunateLosAngeles.com (Español) or at Frequently Asked Questions for Parents and Guardians.
- Questions about COVID-19 vaccine safety and effectiveness? Contact your pediatrician or clinician or speak with a LACDPH staff member by calling the COVID-19 Call Center at 1-833-540-0473 between the hours of 8am to 8:30pm, seven days a week.
- Early care and education sites can host a vaccine clinic at their site. This COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Toolkit - for Early Childhood Partners is a how-to guide for planning and coordinating a COVID-19 vaccine clinic. It includes best practices, templates, resources, and details on how to request a mobile vaccine clinic. If you are interested in scheduling a vaccination clinic for young children and their families please complete this interest form.
- Host a virtual town hall. As trusted community leaders, ECE partners are invited to host a virtual COVID-19 town hall in partnership with LACDPH. We will help you secure an American Academy of Pediatrics-certified pediatrician to moderate the discussion, and provide agenda, presentation, and promotional outreach material. Contact Michelle Millan at MMillan@ph.lacounty.gov for more information on scheduling a date/time for your co-hosted virtual event.
- Subscribe to the ECE COVID-19 Newsletter. ECE Sector Telebriefings and the ECE COVID-19 Newsletter are great ways to stay in the know and be sure that you are aware of upcoming telebriefings and receive weekly ECE sector updates. To be added to the ECE listserv, email TASchoolSupport@ph.lacounty.gov.
- Inform families and staff that anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive COVID-19 test should not enter the facility.
- Use the LA County DPH symptoms decision pathway for actions to take after an employee or child is determined to have symptoms or exposures while at your facility.
- Follow Current State and Local Masking Guidance
- For information on when to wear a mask and how to use a mask effectively, visit ph.lacounty.gov/masks (English) or ph.lacounty.gov/mascarillas (Español).
- Please refer to the Guidance for ECE document for updates on masking requirements and recommendations in ECE settings.
- Reduce Risk of COVID-19
- To better understand who is most at risk for getting sick and what steps can be taken to stay safe and slow the spread of COVID-19, visit ph.lacounty.gov/reducerisk (English) or ph.lacounty.gov/reduceriskspanish (Español).
- Learn more about COVID-19 prevention for parents with unvaccinated children (English).
- Traveling During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Review the LA County DPH Travel Advisory for up-to-date information during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cleaning and Disinfection
- Cleaning and Disinfection Matrix:
- It is important to ensure that cleaning practices in your facility are good enough to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This cleaning and disinfection matrix provides recommendations on the cleaning and disinfection of rooms or areas. These guidelines are for non-healthcare facilities such as daycare centers, schools, institutions, offices, businesses, and community centers that do not house persons overnight.
- Please refer to the Guidance for ECE for additional information on cleaning and disinfection standards for child care settings.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Resources
- Local Resource and Referral Agencies
(R&Rs)
- ECE providers can also access PPE supplies through your local Resource and Referral agency. Find your local R&Rs at www.ccala.net/connect-to-child-care/.
COVID-19 Testing Guidance
- Accessing Supplies
- DPH is providing early care and education providers with COVID-19 test kits. You may order supplies simply by clicking on https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/COVID19-Test-Request-Schools-Childcare.
- Please note that the California Department of Public Health endorses the emergency use of over-the-counter COVID-19 tests beyond their FDA authorized expiration. This extension is valid until CDPH posts that the emergency extension has ended, at which point participants should cease using tests beyond their printed expiration dates. See the COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test Expiration Extensions for more information.
- DPH is providing early care and education providers with COVID-19 test kits. You may order supplies simply by clicking on https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/COVID19-Test-Request-Schools-Childcare.
- LA County Test Sites
- Information on COVID-19 Testing
- For current information on COVID-19 testing, visit ph.lacounty.gov/covidtests. This DPH website provides information on the basics of COVID-19 testing, the different types of diagnostic viral tests and antibody tests, when testing is recommended, and what the results mean.
- COVID-19 testing is widely available for free to persons who live in LA County, regardless of immigration status. Drive through or walk-up testing sites are available, and appointments are not always needed. Visit ph.lacounty.gov/covidtests/how (English) or ph.lacounty.gov/covidpruebas/como (Español) or call 2-1-1 to learn more.
- COVID-19 Testing Resources for Children (updated 9/2/22)—For information and locations that test children. Español | 简体中文 | 繁體中文 | العربية | հայերեն | អក្សរខ្មែរ | 日本語 | 한국어 | Русский | Tiếng Việt | فارسى | Tagalog
- Information on COVID-19 Testing
- Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Testing Requirements
- Cal/OSHA requires employers to offer testing at no cost to employees. See Cal/OSHA Non-Emergency Regulations for details.
- For more information, see the State's 2021 COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave FAQs and poster.
Frequently Asked Questions
LA County DPH COVID-19 Information
- COVID-19 FAQs
- These frequently asked questions provide general background information about COVID-19 including how to identify symptoms, get tested and prevent the spread of the virus.
- COVID-19 Information
- For up to date information, visit ph.lacounty.gov/Coronavirus.
Additional Resources
LA County Department of Mental Health - Resources for Managing stress
- Emotional Wellbeing During a Pandemic
- The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) supports the wellbeing of every member of our communities. The COVID-19 information home provides mental health resources for LA County residents. LACDMH's 24/7 Help Line at (800) 854-7771 is available to provide mental health support, resources and referrals.
- Free iPrevail Access
- LA County residents have free access to
iPrevail.com,
an online mental health resource to help with life's everyday stressors. After a short assessment, you are connected to customized support to meet your needs. Options include:
- on-demand chat with trained Peer Coaches,
- self-paced lessons on a variety of topics to improve wellbeing, and
- community support groups
iPrevail is offered in English and Spanish and is available 24/7 from any smart device.
- LA County residents have free access to
iPrevail.com,
an online mental health resource to help with life's everyday stressors. After a short assessment, you are connected to customized support to meet your needs. Options include:
- Free Mental Health Resources
- LACDMH is also a part of PsychHub's COVID-19 Mental Health Resource Hub, which is dedicated to providing free resources to help people address their mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
State Department of Developmental Services (DDS) COVID-19 Information
- Visit https://www.dds.ca.gov/corona-virus-information-and-resources/ for links to COVID-19 information and resources for families accessing intellectual and developmental disability services through regional centers and service providers.
CDC Guidance
- Schools and Childcare Guidance Website
- The CDC website for Schools and Child Care Programs provides information to plan, prepare, and respond to COVID-19. This webpage has education and childcare related guidance for parents, administrators, teachers and staff.
Adobe Reader
Note: PDF documents on this site were created using Adobe Acrobat 5.0 or later. Document functionality may be reduced if you are using an earlier version (4.x or less). Get the latest version of Adobe Acrobat.
Public Health has made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translation. However, no computerized translation is perfect and is not intended to replace traditional translation methods. If questions arise concerning the accuracy of the information, please refer to the English edition of the website, which is the official version.
