As opposition grows, Quebec union calls on province to suspend new COVID rules for daycares

Opposition is growing toQuebec's new controversial rules aboutCOVID-19 in childcare centres (CPEs), which exemptchildren and educators in contact with a positive case from isolating.

Under new rules quietly passed on to childcare services by Quebec's Family Ministry on Dec. 30, children and staff who have been in contact with an infected person at the daycare can continue to show up at the centre provided they have no symptoms.

On Monday afternoon, a union representing 3,200 educators in CPEscalled for Family Minister Mathieu Lacombeto follow the lead of Montreal Public Health and suspend the new directives.

"Child-care workers and staff work in close quarters within two metres of children aged zero to fivewho are neither vaccinated nor masked," said president of theFederation of Early Childhood Workers of Quebec (FIPEQ-CSQ), Valrie Grenon.

"We need to consider the unique nature of our services and get clear, science-based answers to reassure our members."

Earlier Monday, Montreal Public Healthsaid it would be suspending the application of the new measures and would continue "to isolate moderate-risk contacts until further notice," a recorded message from the department said.

Therefore, in Montreal CPEs, children and staff who have been in contact with a positive case at the daycare must still isolate for 10 days, per the province's directives before the holidays,regardless of their symptoms. Testing for the virusis also recommended before the return to daycare.

Elsewhere in Quebec, according to the new directives,if a child in a group tests positive or if there are several cases reported in the same daycare, both children and staff whoare asymptomatic are not required to get tested and may continue to frequent the facility.

Until now, during the isolation period of a child who had been in contact with a positive case, parents were asked to get their child tested twice, even if they were asymptomatic.

Quebec family minister addresses concerns

Quebec's relaxed rules have been widely criticized by some of the province's daycare operators and associations.

"I find this alarming," said Brigitte Prvost, general director of Petits Pas CPE in Dorval, in a Monday morning interview.

She says the government's new protocols are the wrong move, considering children in daycare are too young to be vaccinated, they don't wear masks and asking them to keep a two-metre distance is nearly impossible.

"We risk finding ourselves with uncontrollable outbreaks," she said.

According to Radio-Canada, outside of Montreal, other regional public health directors have expressed their concerns about the new directives in CPEs and plan to follow the exampleof Montreal Public Health.

The family ministeraddressed theseconcernsin a Facebook post Monday afternoon and said a meeting will take place in the "next few hours."

"Of course, I have noticed that these new guidelines are raising a lot of questions among parents and educators," Lacombewrote.

"Ihave therefore requested that [Quebec Public Health] meet with the associations representing CPEs, daycares and family daycare co-ordinating offices to explain this recommendation and to answer their questions."

Lancombeinsiststhat "the safety of children and staff is the priority" of his ministry, the government and public health officials.

Keep kids at home if you can: association president

Samir Alahmad, president of the Private Daycare Association of Quebec, says the province's recommended measures are surprising, given thesignificant increase in positive cases he'sseen over the past three to four weeks.

"It's really a major change," he said in an interview on Radio-Canada'sToutun MatinMonday morning.

"Do we have a bigger risk for contamination? I'm not a specialist, but Ican tell you yes, for sure, we have an additional risk. Is it a calculated risk given the situation? It's up to the [public health] authorities to tell us."

Alahmad saidchild care is stuck between the government's desire to keep services open as much as possible, educators who fear for their safety, and parents who have different needs.

Although the ultimate decision is up to parents, Alahmad suggeststhat those who can,should keep their children home forthe next few weeks.

"If Iwas a parent, I'd say personally if I had a Plan B today, I would use it for a minimum of two or three weeks," he said, describing the extremely delicate situation in daycare centres.

"Weknow the more we have people together, the higher risk[for outbreaks] we have."

Alahmadisn't sure if it's a good idea for an asymptomaticstaff member who has been in contact with a positive case tocontinueto work as some health-care workerscan but he understands the pressure to avoid severe staff shortages and daycare shutdowns.

"I tell you, there's no clear answer," he said.