Isolation rules for close contacts creating challenges for Island daycares, families

P.E.I.'s Chief Public Health Office says it plans to change its isolation rules for close contacts of COVID-19 cases, which some say are creating challenges for child-care centres and families.

The province has among the strictest requirements for close contacts in Canada, forcing Islanders who aren't fully vaccinated to isolate for seven days from the last potential exposure, and those with at least two doses to isolate for four days.

The CPHO hasn't said exactly what will change with the requirements for close contacts, just that an announcement is coming this week.

At Little Ducklings Childcare Centre in Stratford, P.E.I., the current rules have prompted one group of children to isolate at home for a week, two separate times, just a few days apart.

"They are young, so they can't isolate alone," said Nicole LeClair, the centre's owner. So that affects pretty much the entire family. So then they go into isolation, they come back, it's been a few days, and the same thing has happened again.

"It's an emotional call to make because you're playing with [parents'] livelihoods and asking them to stay home from work, some of whom are not paid to do so."

Little Ducklings is among the dozens of centres that have been hit with COVID-19 cases and outbreaks on P.E.I.

It's all sent a growing number of young families into isolation.

Sarah Ashby recently spent nearly a week isolating with her husband and two children, after her youngest was identified as a close contact at daycare.

"It's a struggle to be a good parent, good employee, good partner, and good teacher all at the same time," she said. "I've fully trusted in the CPHO this entire pandemic, but I'd be happy to see a loosening of restrictions as far as isolation requirements go."

New Brunswick only requires non-household close contacts to "monitor for symptoms for 10 days, regardless of vaccination status."

Nova Scotian close contacts who aren't from the same household are told to get tested 72 hours after their exposure to the positive case. But as long as they don't have symptoms, they can continue going to work, school or daycare until they're tested.

Elizabeth Jeffery, owner of Little Wonders Early Learning Centre in Charlottetown, said while she trusts whatever approach P.E.I.'s CPHO decides to take, she hasn't had a problem with the seven-day isolation requirement for young children at her centre, or four-day requirement for her vaccinated staff.

"In my situation, it gives me peace of mind," said Jeffery. "Our littles can't be vaccinated. So to keep anybody who may have any germs floating around, to keep them away from our children in the centre, that is important to me. So I'm fully on board with that."