Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, there have been many times of confusion, panic, and misinformation. Due to this it has taken time for the New Jersey and New York public and private schools to begin closures. As educators and care takers, it is always our job to ensure the safety and well-being of our community’s children while parents work. However, amidst the pandemic, who looks out for the state’s Childcare and Daycare staff?

The staff members at all Daycare Centers have families they are going home to every night- some elderly, some immunocompromised, and some staff who are both of the above mentioned categories themselves. To deem public schools worthy of closing should also mean that private, for-profit, daycare centers also close. We are putting individuals in the line of fire who are neither first responders nor healthcare personnel and it should be a disgrace to consider them as such essential personnel. Our hospital workers and medical staff are held to a much higher, heroic, standard during these times of crisis.

Furthermore, when we give thought to just how many individuals pass through these for-profit daycare centers through the course of ONE day, the number will surely reach into the hundreds. For the health and safety of the daycare and childcare workers PLEASE urge the NJ and NY governors to close ALL daycare centers. We are human beings who deserve health, safety, and a limited risk for a pandemic-worthy virus too.