COVID-19 Guidance for Operating Early Care and Education/Child Care Programs

See COVID-19 guidance for operating early care and education/child care programs including mask use, physical distancing, and ventilation.

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Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which has spread rapidly throughout the world. In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. The pandemic has severely ravaged health systems, and economic and social progress globally. In India, 96,06,810 confirmed COVID-19 cases and over 1,39,700 deaths have been reported as of 4 December 2020.1 COVID-19 most commonly manifests as fever, dry cough, shortness of breath and tiredness. Most people (~80%) experience mild disease and recover without hospitalization, while around 20% may become more seriously ill. While countries, including India, have taken strong measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 through better diagnostics and treatment, vaccines will provide a lasting solution by enhancing immunity and containing the disease spread. In response to the pandemic, the vaccine development process has been fast-tracked. Globally, over 274 candidate vaccines are in different stages of development as of 4 December 2020.2 The majority of vaccines in clinical evaluation as of 4 December 2020 will require a twodose schedule to be administered two, three or four weeks apart, and is need to be administered through the intramuscular route.


This tool assists environmental health practitioners in conducting a rapid assessment of shelter conditions during emergencies and disasters. This tool can be modified to meet local needs during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency.