Feb 15, 2021 2 min read

Children and child care workers in licensed child cares have done more to help protect our collective health than schools, hospitals, churches, restaurants, fitness facilities and other businesses. Please believe me, because I inspected over 2,000 child cares and have a good grasp on the guidelines, regulations, accreditations, standards and practices for health and safety in Pennsylvania and our nation.

Since 1992, licensed childcares have been required to follow strict hand-washing, sanitation and capacity regulations with monitoring by a complaint/investigation process and regular inspections, at least annually. Repeated or serious violations of these regulations could result in a downgrade or loss of the operator’s license.

Now, how have these children and essential workers protected our nation’s collective health for the past 30 years?

Well, it has been recognized by science, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control that hand-washing is one of the best ways to reduce the spread of illness and disease. Just consider how the voluntary guidelines issued by the CDC since 2020 have helped to make the number of influenza positives unusually low this season. Now, multiply everything the CDC guidelines have helped to accomplish for our collective health by the number 30 and that is only some of health protections the children and the child workers have done since 1992. The benefit analysis is incalculable and the help for our nation’s collective health is immeasurable.

So, before you complain about what you are being asked to do, please say “thank you” to everyone following the health and safety guidelines, especially the children and child care workers.

Dennis Smiddle

Executive director, FANS 4 HELP nonprofit

Canonsburg