Economy can't reopen unless child care questions are answered, says head of nonprofit
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Although some states are allowing the reopening of businesses after the coronavirus shutdown, day care facilities and schools continue to be closed, an obstacle for parents who need child care so they can return to work.
“As federal and state governments are deliberating about reopening, we need to address the needs of parents and children and child care workers who are essential to reigniting the economy,” Child Care Aware of America executive director Lynette Fraga told "America's Newsroom."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}America's slow road to reopening continued this week as more than a dozen states eased strict lockdown measures on businesses and social activities, put in place to curb the spread of the virulent coronavirus.
Several states believe they have “flattened the curve” of infections enough to phase in their economies after more than a month of shuttered stores, restaurants and citizens hunkered down at home.
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The moves come as the daily death toll across the U.S. dropped five days in a row for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic erupted earlier this year. The 1,240 new deaths Monday marked just the third time the daily death toll was under 1,300 over the past month.
As of Tuesday morning, there were more than 1.1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 68,000 deaths in the U.S.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}States like Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee began to lift restrictions to varying degrees last month, while Texas and Illinois followed suit last week.
Fraga stressed the need for representation of child care workers “at the table” when officials discuss the transition to reopening businesses around the country.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She said the sector has to be represented “to ensure that we’re communicating about the needs of child development and the needs of children. That we’re also ensuring those vital supplies, the cleaning supplies that are available and necessary, the kinds of equipment that are necessary in order to keep our children safe,” Fraga said.
Fraga said that there needs to be more guidelines and support to ensure children are emotionally and physically safe.
“And to ensure that, as we’re communicating, as we’re collaborating with public health, that we’re also acknowledging that young children need care and that young children may not be able to function in a group setting when they’re wearing masks.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fraga said that there are 20 million children of essential workers may need child care. Child Care Aware of America is a nonprofit resource designed to help families, including those serving in the military, who need help finding child care.
Fox News' Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.