Child at Colorado Springs daycare tests positive for COVID-19

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The KinderCare on Mesa Road in Colorado Springs is staying open despite one child testing positive for COVID-19, according to a letter sent to parents via email on Monday.

One parent forwarded the email to KRDO, wondering whether the daycare facility is following state health department guidelines.

If there is a COVID-19 case at a Colorado daycare, it's required to close and sanitize for 72 hours per state protocol. If there are multiple COVID-19 cases at a daycare, it must shut down for 14 days, according to an Executive Order by Governor Jared Polis.

Supervisors from the KinderCare location told KRDO they deep cleaned the facility over the weekend, contacted the health department, and decided they did not need to close the daycare.

Officials at the El Paso County Department of Public Health told us they took a look at the disinfecting done over the weekend, advised the daycare to wipe down surfaces daily, and gave it the go-ahead to stay open.

State officials have recommended daycares stay open despite the called State of Emergency, saying they're smaller than school districts and less likely to have a major COVID-19 outbreak.

In addition, Gov. Jared Polis called together a group of early childhood providers to partner with Colorado DHS and the Office of Early Childhood to establish a system of emergency child care for workers currently considered essential.