Childcare centers fear closing as caregivers sit home waiting for Covid test results

Childcare centers are struggling to manage their staffing levels as more and more employees are at home with Covid-19-like symptoms, waiting for their test results, according to the trade associations for Social Childcare and Childcare. A survey among their members showed that a third of daycares have over 10 percent of employees at home. "The same percentage of childminders are currently not working," the associations said to ANP.

"Employees with cold symptoms sometimes have to wait almost a week for a corona test and the results and sit at home on the couch for days. As a result, childcare entrepreneurs are no longer able to complete their schedules and fear having to close groups. Dozens of parents are affected per group; they have to sit home with their child. This has major consequences for the working Netherlands," the associations said.

With cold and flu season approaching, childcare organizations expect that things will get much worse. Everyone who is qualified to mind children is already deployed, and all leave requests have been withdrawn. "Despite this, a major closure threatens in the very short term if the situation does not change."