Bright Horizons FAQs: Layered Prevention Strategies

Updated as of July 15, 2022

 

Protecting the health and safety of our center communities will always be Bright Horizons’ highest priority. Bright Horizons serves one of the most vulnerable populations: children under the age of 12, the majority still not currently eligible for vaccination. Bright Horizons implements layered prevention strategies designed to protect our children, families and staff while keeping our centers open to provide consistent and safe care. Bright Horizons’ approach is informed by guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the American Association of Pediatrics, state and local authorities, current scientific evidence and the lessons we have learned implementing COVID-19 prevention strategies.

Bright Horizons continues to evolve its practices and protocols to address the challenges COVID-19 presents:

Testing Protocol: As an added safeguard to minimize the spread of COVID-19, Bright Horizons requires all staff members who are not fully vaccinated to participate in weekly COVID-19 surveillance testing. Any staff testing positive and any symptomatic staff will continue to be excluded immediately in accordance with Bright Horizons’ current exclusion protocols.

Vaccination Campaign: Bright Horizons is strongly encouraging all staff members who are safely able to receive the vaccine to do so. Bright Horizons has the “My Shot to Fight COVID” campaign, which includes gift cards for fully vaccinated and for boosted staff members and provides a variety of educational materials and resources to inform staff members about the vaccine’s safety and where to get it. Bright Horizons is not mandating vaccinations at this time. Consistent with the majority of employers, Bright Horizons continues to encourage vaccinations and boosters and with the Testing Protocol, requires those who are not or cannot be vaccinated to participate in a weekly COVID-19 surveillance testing program. Masking protocols and other enhanced protocols noted below continue to apply to all staff, vaccinated or not.

Masking Protocol: Masks are a key strategy for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Bright Horizons continues to require all staff to be masked indoors. Bright Horizons also strongly recommends that all children 2 and over wear a mask indoors. Our staff members are able to assist children with learning how to wear masks safely and consistently while in our centers.

Enhanced Protocols: Bright Horizons has operated continuously since the start of the pandemic. Throughout that time, Bright Horizons has been developing and implementing industry-leading COVID policies and enhanced protocols based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and state and local authorities, and with assistance from a pediatric infectious disease specialist from Boston Children’s Hospital. Bright Horizons continues to implement those policies and enhanced protocols including daily health checks, strict exclusion policies and frequent cleaning and disinfection. Bright Horizons’ current COVID-19 policies can be reviewed HERE.

In our childcare setting, where some measures cannot be used (e.g. strict social distancing, vaccinating children) using these layered prevention strategies are the most effective way to stop the spread of COVID-19.