CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There are a lot of concerns about the possibility of the spread of the virus as kids are now looking to be heading back to the classroom – and the possibility that both students and staff could get COVID-19.
WCNC Charlotte took a look at the infections at area daycares to get an idea of the spread between adults and kids.
Here’s what we found:
In almost every case of an outbreak at a childcare facility, there was a mix of both staff and kids coming down with the infection.
“I had a fever that lasted 14 days that would not move,” said Rochelle McGee. The 58-year-old is finally on the mend after a month battling COVID. She’s almost certain she got it from the daycare center where she works.
“I got it working with children and it's not that we were not disinfecting and sanitizing.”
We checked and the numbers show outbreaks at childcare facilities in our area tend to be a mix of both kids at the center and staff come down with the virus.
Just this week in Mecklenburg County, there’s an outbreak at Heavens Angels childcare facility – three staff and 11 kids with the virus. But at Kindercare Providence all six cases are kids. In Randolph County, at It’s a Kids World, four staffers and two kids have the virus.
Rhinda Patt, a pediatrician at Charlotte Pediatric Clinic with Atrium Health said, “It is possible for children to pass this to each other and for children to pass it to adults. At least one patient here - the child got it at daycare and then the parents got it from the child.”
Gibbie Harris, Mecklenburg County’s Health Director said, “the facilities that have outbreaks, typically multiple children from one family that come in and are infected and we end up with a cluster.”
There’s concern the same thing could happen once kids head back to the classroom.
Patt said, “kids typically have a mild illness but there are also teachers there and so we have to not only think of the safety of students but staff.”
As a pediatrician and mom of three school-age kids she hopes the community spread is more under control before kids head back to the classroom.
Having been through COVID, Mcgee says she worries about her colleagues at daycares and schools.
“As far as the school, I really think once they put a bunch of people in an environment like that, its gonna lead to some major outbreaks and I really don’t think the daycares are out of hot water yet," McGee said.
The good news? after a month at home recovering, McGee says she is almost fully recovered and plans to head back to work with the kids Monday.