Information close contact child care

Information letter to accompany the LCI COVID-19 guidelines | Version of 14 April 2021 (for version management see Overview of information letters)

Child care: cat 2 close contact | cat 3 other contact | not in the same group
Primary school: cat 2 close contact | cat 3 other contact | not in the same class
Secondary school: cat 2 close contact | cat 3 other contact | not in the same class

Information for parents/carers of children who had close contact with someone who tested positive (childcare centre)

Dear parent(s)/carer(s),

While at the childcare centre, your child was in close proximity to another child or an employee who has COVID-19 (a coronavirus infection). That is why you are receiving this letter. Note: this is important information.

What this means for your child:

The most important thing is that your child is quarantined as of now. This means that your child stays home and does not receive any visitors. Also, your child will not be going to daycare. This is necessary to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.

Your child will stay home for 10 days, counting from the child’s last contact with the person who has COVID-19. After that, your child can go outside again and return to childcare. Visitors will also be allowed again after that.

This letter contains guidelines for your household routine. These will help you maintain quarantine. There is a short video on the RIVM website explaining how to go into quarantine.

Testing without symptoms on day 5:

If your child does not have any symptoms, then your child may be released from quarantine sooner. This is only possible if the child tests negative for COVID-19 on or after day 5. You can make an appointment for a free COVID-19 test by calling 0800-1202.

If the test result on or after day 5 is negative, then it did not detect the coronavirus. That means that your child can go outside again and return to childcare. It is very unlikely that your child will still become ill after that point. However, make sure your child has no contact with vulnerable people for another 5 days. For example, do not take your child to visit grandparents yet.
If the test result on or after day 5 is positive, then the test detected a coronavirus infection. Your child and the whole family must stay home. The Municipal Public Health Service (GGD) will call you.

If you do not have your child tested on day 5, then your child will complete the entire 10-day quarantine period. After the 10 days, your child can go outside again and return to childcare.

Testing before day 5:

You may also have your child tested immediately, for example if you are concerned.
Caution: If your child tests negative for COVID-19 before day 5, then your child must still remain in home quarantine. Your child may still become ill. If your child tests negative for COVID-19 on or after day 5, then your child may go outside again. You can make appointments for both tests at once via: 0800-2035.

If your child develops symptoms

Have your child tested immediately if they develop any of the symptoms below. Have them tested even if a previous COVID-19 test was negative:

cold symptoms: nasal cold, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat
coughing
sudden loss of smell and taste
shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
elevated temperature or fever. If you think your child has a fever, take the child’s temperature (rectally or using an ear thermometer). A temperature of 38.0°C or higher is considered a fever.

You can make an appointment for a free COVID-19 test by calling the national test line: 0800-1202. There is a short video on testing children for COVID-19 on the RIVM website.
In addition to cold symptoms, does your child also have a fever and/or shortness of breath? Then all household members must stay home.

Rules during quarantine

Staying home

During the quarantine period, your child must stay home. He/she may not attend school or participate in group activities, such as sports. Your child may spend time in the garden or on the balcony.
If your child does not have a fever and/or shortness of breath, other household members do not need to stay home.
Your child must not have any contact with people outside the household. Try to maintain a distance of 1.5 metres from other household members.

Hygiene

Your child must wash his/her hands regularly with soap and water. Your child must always wash hands:
- after coughing and sneezing;
- after using the toilet;
- before preparing or eating food.
Your child must use a paper tissue when coughing. If your child does not have a paper tissue available, then teach the child to cough into the bend of his/her elbow.
Your child must use a tissue only once, throw the tissue away after use, and then wash his/her hands.