Currently, if a child is sick or exhibiting any symptoms of Covid-19 in Manitoba, most childcare centres/operators require a negative test result in order for the child to return to the centre. This is for the safety of the other children, staff and families.  Without the test, the children are required to isolate for 10-14 days depending on the centre.

However, the only current testing method available to children is a nasopharangeal swab, which is administered by entering a nostril and pushing the swab until it reaches the nasopharynx. Administering this test in young children often involves physically restraining the child in order to obtain the sample. Although not damaging or harming the child physically, this is an invasive test that often causes unnecessary emotional trauma to young children and creates negative associations with any medical procedures to follow. Further exacerbating this problem is that children often have to undergo multiple tests since coughs and colds are common for young children in childcare centres.

As a result of this, parents are put in the difficult position of having to subject their child or children to multiple invasive nasopharangeal swabs or to keep their children away from the centres and in isolation for 10-14 days. This can cause stress and financial harm to working parents who are required to care for their children during these periods. 

The Provincial Government of Manitoba is currently providing rapid nasal swabs to travellers, or people who are eligible but choose to not be vaccinated in order to work, and are accepting negative test results from the designated group for the purpose of continuing to work and travel. Other less invasive tests such as the mouth rinse and gargle test have been approved in other Provinces such as British Columbia. Both of these tests would provide a less invasive option for children who require frequent tests in order to remain in their childcare centres. 

We ask that rapid tests (e.g. Nasal swabs, Gargle tests) be made available for free to families whose children require Covid-19 tests to return to childcare centres. We further request these tests are made available at testing sites across the province, or be provided to all childcare centres so they can be distributed on an as needed basis from the centres.