WASHINGTON — A majority of child care centers in D.C. reported zero outbreaks between July and December – even as cases citywide spiked by more than 500% over that same period, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
COVID-19 outbreaks in about 6% of the 469 licensed D.C. child care facilities accounted for almost half of all cases linked to child care facilities from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2020, and represent only a quarter of all facilities that reported at least one case, according to the CDC.
The newly released data also shows that more than half of the people who tested positive were teachers or staff members at the facilities.
This means that the use of following CDC safety guidelines stopped the virus from spreading to others even when a case was identified.
It was also reported that COVID-19 outbreaks were more likely to happen in newer facilities than older and more established ones. The research suggests that this may have happened because the older centers may have had more years of experience with using resources to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
What was to blame for these outbreaks? The CDC said the delay of more than three days in testing for symptomatic people was associated with COVID-19 outbreaks.
The CDC recommends that facilities continue to implementing and safety measures, including getting vaccinated, wearing masks, social distancing, testing and reporting cases will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 at daycares.