Not only are these catchy song lyrics, these are common questions you may ask yourself following an emergency or disaster event that affects you, your program, neighborhood, or community.

Every winter, influenza (the flu) ravages both adults and children, spreading like wildfire throughout the community and leaving many at home, in bed, feeling awful for days. Child care centers are affected because the influenza virus is highly contagious, and children are apt to spread the virus unknowingly both to their peers and to adults. In fact, because children in group care are more likely to catch and spread viruses, like the flu, they can bring these viruses home and pass the flu on to their siblings, who go to school and transmit the virus more broadly.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since 2004, the number of children who die yearly in the U.S. during a normal flu season has ranged from 37 (2011-2012 season) to 171 (2012-2013 season).

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Christina Nelson, Mountain View Child Care, North Troy, Vermont

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Virtual Early Education Center (VEEC)

As a child care provider, you have chosen a profession of caring for children, and you try your best to protect them every day. There are many things you do to keep them safe, but it may be impossible to prepare for all possibilities. However, by including children’s needs and children themselves in preparedness planning, you can help yourself and the children in your care be as ready as possible for an unexpected public health emergency.