Here are the rules Dubai nurseries must observe if they must reopen today.

Following a federal decision on August 27 that centers for toddlers and young children which have been closed since March can reopen, nurseries and early learning centers in Dubai can reopen once they are able to meet certain safety measures. This was made known by the city’s education regulator.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) announced the new rules as part of an ongoing effort to limit the spread of the Coronavirus.

Brief On Rules Dubai Nurseries Must Observe If They Must Reopen Today

These rules include staff’s compulsory changing of clothes when they leave the nursery and are returning to it, and seeing that every object including toys is sanitized with children-friendly products such as mild but effective sanitizers. And such products must be kept from the reach of children. The rest of the rules are below in more detail.

Entering and Exiting Nursery Rules

First up, the staff are strongly not advised to leave the nursery premises until closing. Where they cannot but leave, say for emergency cases, they must, in returning, have a change of clothes and mask, and must fully sanitize themselves, which includes hand washing, before re-entering.

Anyone entering the nursery must have a temperature screening. Parents are required to check their children’s temperature with a thermometer and look for any symptoms before leaving the house. A ‘stay home if unwell’ policy must be followed for children, teachers and staff.

Anyone whose temperature equals or exceeds 37.5°C will not be allowed entry. And only one first degree family member is allowed to enter the center to drop off and pick up their child. People above the age of 60 are not advised to do this, and management has to ensure staggered arrival and departure times.

Staff Must Carry Out A Covid-19 Test

First up, all staff must take a Covid-19 PCR test. If test is positive, they wouldn’t be allowed in the premises. All the children and staff are required to provide their health and travel declaration forms.
Authorities must be immediately notified about a person showing Covid-19 symptoms. As with schools, nurseries must have an isolation room where a child could be comfortably placed until the authorities could arrive to check them.

Children with disabilities should be given extra support and attention where needed.

Face Masks Is Compulsory For All Adults But Not For Kids Under 6

Every and any person, staff or not, entering the nursery facility must be Face-masked, with the exception of children younger than 6.
Staff are encouraged to wear transparent masks where possible, to enable lip-reading and facial expressions. Face shields or visors can be worn without masks, if there is a two-metre distance between a staff member and child.

Hand-washing, Sanitizing And Sanitizers

Anyone entering the building must wash and/or sanitize hands, but sanitizers should be kept out of children’s reach.

Staff must oversee a strict hand washing regime for children, but avoid using sanitizers for those who have a tendency to lick their hands or suck on their fingers.

Staff and children’s bags and shoes should be cleaned and sprayed with sanitizers when they arrive at the center.

Toys, Equipment, Gadgets And Play Areas

The classroom environments and play areas including toys, books, scissors, pens pencils, crayons, arts and crafts materials and messy play resources should be sanitized after every use. Objects that can’t be sanitized must be removed. Toys that are sneezed on, coughed on or put in a child’s mouth should be taken away.

Staff should keep a designated bin for separating toys that have been exposed to children’s saliva.

It is recommended that children get their own stationary whenever possible.

Dress-up sections, indoor soft play sections and similar play areas must not operate. Centers should avoid musical instruments and whistles.

Catering

As with schools, nurseries and creches should not provide any catering. Parents are asked to give their children enough snacks, lunches and plastic utensils for the whole day.

Centers can provide sanitized water bottles if needed.

Children should have their own food containers, food-sharing is not allowed and meal breaks should be staggered.

Staff-Children Ratio, Grouping & Distancing

Childcare must be carried out in “stable” groups of at most 10 children in their separate rooms. According to KHDA, ‘stable’ means the children have to remain in the same group each day and cannot mix with other groups. The same childcare provider should remain with the same group each day.

For young children aged between six weeks and 23 months, each group can have maximum eight members with a minimum of two caregivers. For those aged between two and six, the maximum number of children allowed in a group is 10, with at least two caregivers.

Transportation Dubai Nursery Covid-19 Reopening Rules.

As with schools, buses can operate at 50 per cent, with social-distancing marks placed on seats. Temperature screening is mandatory before boarding the bus and a daily log of all passengers must be maintained.

Below are full nursery reopening protocols as released by the KHDA and thanks to TheNational.ae for breaking the news.