COVID-19

Creches restriction entry to 14 days for kids returning from holiday

Creches restriction entry to 14 days for kids returning from holiday

Childcare providers say the risk of allowing children attend facilities who have just returned from abroad is too great.

Some creches are restricting entry for 14 days after arriving home, in an effort to stop the Delta variant of Covid 19 taking hold.

Elaine Dunne is the Chair of the Federation of Childcare Providers, she says some providers have had to close due to outbreaks.

She's also worried about the child passing the virus on to family members.

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"There are a good number of services already closed with the Delta variant in them.

"In particularly we know of two services up the country that look after children under the age of two, and there are a good number of children in these services with the variant.

Sinead O'Moore hosts the EveryMum podcast, she says some parents probably won't bother going abroad if it means two weeks without childcare

"You are packing and repacking and double-checking because you need that confidence and clarity because travelling with children is anxious enough.

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"If you think that you're going to return and all of a sudden not have two weeks' childcare at the end of that?!

"That's enough to make parents say 'no, it's not for us'"

The Government's current advice is that children who are travelling abroad with guardians who have Covid immunity are not required to isolate after arriving back.

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