How will daycares adapt to removed COVID restrictions?

Daycare owners and workers said they are excited about Governor Andrew Cuomo lifting COVID-19 restrictions on child care facilities, yet confused about what that announcement really means.

BIT OF DAY CARE CONFUSION...SOME OWNERS SAY THEY AREWAITING FOR MORE GUIDANCE..BUT IN THE MEANTIME...THEYTELL OUR OLIVIA PROIA THAT ...ULTIMATELY... LIFTING THE RESTOF THE RESTRICTIONS WILL SAVETHEM TIME AND MONEY...}} (00:00) (00:04) (00:20)(1:01) IT'S A LOT OFEXCITMENT... AND A BIT OFCONFUSION.

DANIELLE: I THINKTHERE IS A LITTLE BIT OFCONFUSION JUST FROM READINGTHE FACEBOOK FORUMS AND THEDIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS THATARE GOING ON WITH THEM.TUESDAY GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMOANNOUNCED COVID RESTRICTIONSWOULD BE LIFTED ON DAYCARES...BUT SOME ARE HOLDING OFF ONMAKING ANY CHANGES.

CARIE: WEARE GOVERNED BY THE OCFS.THAT'S THE AGENCY THAT COMESOUT AND MAKES SURE WE AREFOLLOWING ALL THE RULES.

WEHAVE NOT HEARD YET FROM THEM,SO AT THIS POINT WE'RE ALLSTAYING WHERE WE ARE.

WE'REALL STILL WEARING OUR MASKS.WE'RE STILL DOING THESCREENING UNTIL WE GET WORDFROM THEM.

YET ACCORDING TOGOVERNOR CUOMO - DAYCARES NOLONGER HAVE TO HAVE CAPACITYRESTRICTIONS, SOCIALDISTANCING, CLEANING ANDDISINFECTION, HEALTHSCREENINGS AND CONTACTINFORMATION FOR POTENTIALTRACING.

(BULLET POINTS)DAYCARE WORKERS SAY DROPPINGSOCIAL DISTANCING MAKES THINGSA LOT EASIER.

DANIELLE:THERE'S A LOT LESS SHARINGGOING ON WHICH IS ONE OF THEMAIN THINGS YOU TEACH CHILDRENTO DO.

IT BECOMES VERY HARD TOEXPLAIN TO LITTLE ONES WHYTHEY CAN'T GO GIVE THEIRFRIEND A HUG WHEN THEY HAVEN'TSEEN THEM FOR A LONG WEEKEND.STAND UP: THEY SAY ONE OF THEMOST HELPFUL CHANGES WILL BENO LONGER HAVING TO SCREENPEOPLE WHO WALK INTO THEBUILDING.

CARIE: I CAN'T HAVESOMEBODY IN A CLASSROOM IF IHAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODYSCREENING PEOPLE.

WITH THEANNOUCEMENT, THAT WAS EXCITINGBECAUSE IT LEAVES ME AN EXTRASTAFF PERSON.

DAYCARE WORKERSSAY REMOVING THESERESTRICTIONS WILL SAVE THEM AGREAT DEAL OF TIME AND MONEY.CARIE: WE HAVE PROVIDED MASKSFOR ALL OF OUR STAFF.

THECLEANING I LIKE SO I'M GOINGTO MAKE SURE WE'RE STILL DOINGTHAT, HOWEVER WE DID INVEST ALOT OF MONEY IN DIFFERENTCHEMICALS AND DIFFERENTCLEANING THINGS.

AND WITHCAPACITY INCREASING...DAYCARES ARE PREPPING FOR MOREKIDS AS PARENTS RETURN TOWORK.

DANIELLE: I'VE BEENBLESSED TO ACTUALLY HAVE A FEWEXTRA STAFF MEMBERS LOOKINGFOR POSITIONS SO WHEN THATHAPPENS WE'RE ALL SET TO GO.CARIE: IT WOULD REALLY BE NICEAGAIN TO FILL UP ALL OF OURCLASSROOMS. WE'D BE REALLYEXCITED TO SEE THAT.

I ASKEDOCFS, NEW YORK'S OFFICE OFCHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES,WHEN DAYCARES WILL RECEIVEGUIDANCE ABOUT THE REMOVEDRESTRICTIONS, BUT DID NOT HEARBACK.

OP7EWNREOPENING ANNOUNCE