The flexibility in the time of entry and exit, the disinfection of surfaces, the mandatory use of the facemask and the physical distancing between those enrolled are measures that will remain in the province's childcare centers from this September 1st, when the 2019-2020 school year is resumed. 

Las Tunas, Cuba.- All the 29 centers of this type are open and fulfilling their usual functions, just when there is a considerable increase in attendance. This was commented to 26Digital by Yanara Campaña Mariné, head of the Early Childhood Department in the Provincial Directorate of Education.

The directive reported that the health protocols provided for in order to avoid the possible contagion with the COVID-19 will be extremed, since the provision of the Ministry of Education to respect the decision of parents to carry or not to their children without conceiving limits of absences is no longer in force.

Mariné Campaign stated that this particular measure was adopted during the months of the pandemic and continued to be applied in the early phases of the recovery stage, but now that the school calendar is resuming, infants must continue with the teaching activities that guarantee their integral development. The absences from now on must be duly justified; otherwise the enrollment could be lost.

She recalled that “the parents deliver the minors at the entity's door to the assistants, thus avoiding the excessive flow of people inside the building and in the afternoon they also pick them up in the lobby. The little ones should carry their masks on and several in their purse, in order to be able to change them frequently accordingly.”

During the siesta time, the cots will be placed more than one meter apart from each other and all the spaces of the facility will be used, such as corridors, dressing rooms and cabinets, in order to achieve the required physical distance.

Regarding the granting of new registrations, she announced that the massive call that is usually made in the month of July will take place in the last week of October. This will include children who already pass another year of life and those born in the months of August, September and October 2019.

Teachers, she reiterated, have the mission of ensuring strict compliance with hygienic-sanitary measures, such as frequent ingestion of water, establishing a certain distance when speaking, reminding them that when coughing or sneezing they should cover their mouth with the forearm and frequent handwashing. In relation to the latter, she specified that in the case of minors it must be done only with soap and water, since they should not be exposed to chlorine.

The head of the Early Childhood Department said all childcarecenters are guaranteed water supply, as well as resources for feeding, personal toileting of infants and cleaning of facilities.