Educational childcare services in the context of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory infections

A child who has a fever must remain at home and must not attend childcare. The child can return to childcare after 24 hours without a fever and without the use of fever medication.

A child with other symptoms of a viral respiratory infection (coughing, a loss of taste or smell, a runny nose or nasal congestion) may attend childcare. However, the wearing of a mask is recommended when caring for the child.

A staff member who has symptoms of a viral respiratory infection (a fever, coughing, a loss of taste or smell, a sore throat, a runny nose or nasal congestion) must:

• stay at home, in the case of a fever;
• wear a mask, in the case of a cough, a sore throat or nasal congestion.

A recommendation applies at all times to take the correct steps for limiting the spread of respiratory infectious diseases.

A home educational childcare provider who has a fever cannot provide childcare to children in the home.

If a person living in the home where home educational childcare is provided has a fever, the home educational childcare provider may provide childcare to children, provided that the private part of the home is separated from the place where childcare is provided.

For further information about the measures you, as an employer, must be implementing during the COVID-19 pandemic, see the questions and answers section of the CNESST website . 

Distribution of rapid tests by childcare centres

Childcare centres may distribute rapid tests to parents. For all questions concerning the distribution and supply of tests, childcare centre managers should see the page Rapid tests and how to get them and contact the CIUSSS or CISSS in their region.

Management of COVID-19 cases for childcare centres

Should you have any questions about the procedure to follow for COVID‑19 cases, please contact your regional public health branch . For any questions about workplace prevention and safety, please contact the CNESST .