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Daycares allowed to fully reopen under challenging, strict guidelines

A 13-page checklist from the state contains the guidelines that childcare facility owners will need to follow to operate

BEAUMONT, Texas — Two months ago, Rhonda Savoy had little guidance when it came to operating her daycare. She owns Zippity Zebra's Licensed Child Care Center in Beaumont.

"Everything was open-ended. Nobody could give you clarity, should you close, should you remain open?" Savoy said. 

Now, Texas Human and Health Services provided a checklist for daycares across Texas. It's not just a few pages. That checklist is 13 pages long.

"It was very overwhelming because you're having to revamp everything and look at things a little closer than you initially did," Savoy said. 

Following CDC guidelines, daycares need to enforce social distancing, intensify cleaning and disinfecting efforts, and adjust drop off and pickup rules.

They'll also implement screening procedures.

"You have to take the temperature of the staff and the children, every two - three hours. Parents can't come in the facility, so you'll meet the parents at the car with their children," Savoy said. 

There are also new child to staff ratio guidelines in place to help to enforce social distancing. 

RELATED: Beaumont daycare owner says state should offer more guidance for child care facilities as coronavirus closures continue

MORE | State guidelines for daycare operators 

Savoy said it's going to be one of the biggest adjustments they'll have to make.

"First of all, you're gonna have to have more staff and less children so that means your daycare is gonna be operating at a loss," Savoy said. 

The worst part is she might have to start turning parents away to comply with these guidelines. 

She wonders whether it's worth reopening right now.

"If you were concerned about the safety of the children, why didn't you say hey, in two more weeks we'll look at it a little closer," Savoy said.

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