Sudbury daycare provider speaks out about lack of PPE, COVID-19 testing

Sudbury -

Daycare providers and parents in Greater Sudbury are sounding the alarm when it comes to inadequate PPE and COVID-19 testing.

Theresa Mills, executive director of Laurentian Child and Family Centre, said until the latest measures were announced, staff felt safe. But that’s not the case anymore.

"Now that we don’t even qualify for testing, you’re automatically being told stay for 5-10 days," Mills said.

"We’re servicing a very vulnerable population, so if we get (COVID-19), we’re closing down entire programs, which could affect 10 families, 15 families, 24 families, 64 families – like, it’s a huge impact. Should we not have the right to be protected just like everybody else who’s considered essential?”

She said there is a divide between what the province is doing to protect schools, versus child care providers.

"If you’re providing them with N95 and HEPA filters, where is that protection for the child care community who are serving children who cannot be vaccinated," Mills said.

"That’s really important to know. How do you want us to keep running quality care when you’re not giving us the protection that you’re telling us we should have?"

Jeff McGarry has two daughters who attend the centre, one in pre-school and the other before and after school. For the next two weeks, McGarry said his family has opted to stay together rather than sending one child to daycare and keeping the other home to complete virtual school.

"At least they can play with each other rather than separating them and then everyone’s on a device all day," he said. "Not this time around -- we’re choosing joy."

Right before Christmas, one of McGarry’s daughters was considered a close contact with a confirmed case and was able to get a test.

Now that is no longer an option. It's something another parent, Stephanie Fuller, is worried about.

"Before when we had access to PCRs, obviously it was stressful to have them at home while trying to work, but it was a day or two and then we’d get the negative result and they could go back," said Fuller, whose two daughters attend the centre.

"Now with not having access to PCRs, it does make it really challenging given that they are in different rooms … Say my older gets sick first, my entire family's out for five days. Everyone who has multiple children knows they don’t get sick at the same time, so as soon as one is getting better, the second one is gonna' get sick and you’re out for an additional five days."

Fuller adds she’s always wondered why the rules are different for schools and daycares, especially when it came to access to rapid tests.

"We want the workforce to keep going, we don’t want to have staff shortages," she said.

"But in order to do all that, our daycares need to remain open and they really should have the safety features and procedures in place and have access to all of those resources that they need for their staff but our children to feel safe."

CTV News contacted the Ministry of Education for comment, but didn't receive a response by the time of publication.