Influenza (Flu) season is upon us and getting a flu vaccine, especially during 2020-2021, is more important than ever. Flu is a respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses and infects the nose, throat and in some cases, the lungs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual flu vaccines for anyone 6 months and older. Flu vaccines are the best way to prevent flu and it is especially important for child care providers who care for young children as vaccination can reduce the spread of flu. During the COVID-19 pandemic, flu vaccines are critical to reducing the overall impact of respiratory illnesses and reducing the burden on the health care system.  

On September 24, we released our fall report Picking Up the Pieces: Building a Better Child Care System Post COVID-19. Alongside this report, we feature an interactive website that includes videos, infographics and a map where you can get data for each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. You can also access a PDF version of the report in English or Spanish and our annual Appendices that analyze child care prices in 2019.

It’s September! And as you may know, each September is recognized as National Preparedness Month. Preparedness Month promotes family and community disaster planning now, during the month, and throughout the year. 

Carbon Monoxide 

Emergency events or disasters can happen anywhere at any time.  And with some types of events, power may be lost or turned off for a period of time. Luckily, generators are a good source of power for your home or business and can be used relatively easily. However, it is important to use a generator safely to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published on July 15, 2020 but has since been updated with information from a new alert from the FDA about sanitizers that include isopropyl alcohol as an ingredient. 

Child care providers implement hand hygiene procedures to keep children in care, their families and themselves healthy and well. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased hand hygiene vigilance in child care programs to protect against viral spread. Health experts recommend using hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol when hand washing with soap is not feasible. Hand sanitizer that once was extremely difficult to access early on in the coronavirus crisis, now is increasingly becoming more available. As a result of the pandemic, new hand sanitizer brands and products are being introduced into the consumer market. Unfortunately, some of the emerging hand sanitizer products are not safe to use, prompting alerts by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

A few months after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) surveyed Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies. In response to the survey, 163 CCR&R professionals from 41 states relayed the most pressing concerns they are hearing from child care providers. Locating and purchasing disinfecting supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) were among the top 5 concerns.