The novel coronavirus has forced many essential businesses to decide whether or not they should remain open or closed for the duration of the outbreak.
Among those businesses are childcare facilities.
In Governor Henry McMaster's March 31st press conference, he ordered non-essential businesses to close but emphasized that the order does not apply to childcare facilities.
"People depend on daycare centers and can't work without them," McMaster said.
Some Upstate childcare facilities chose to close, but many have remained open to ensure childcare for other essential workers.
La Petite Academy on Woodruff Road is among those who chose to remain open.
Director Ann Bouvia said attendance dropped with each executive order from Gov. McMaster; at this point, the numbers have dwindled down to about one quarter of their typical attendance.
The parents and caretakers of the children who are still coming are essential workers, such as nurses, doctors, grocery store workers, and first responders.
Bouvia also agreed with Gov. McMaster that childcare is essential, particularly for single parents and people who have recently moved to the area and may not have family and friends locally to assist them.
"People can't go to work unless there's childcare out there for them," Bouvia said.
To care well for the children, hand washing and disinfecting have become main priorities for La Petite Academy.
In addition to their previous cleaning schedule, they have stepped up disinfecting significantly and removed all cloth toys out of classrooms.
"We're using about two sometimes three classrooms depending on how many children we have so that we can concentrate on (cleaning) those areas. Our other classrooms that were open before have been deep cleaned," Bouvia said.
The children and employees wash their hands multiple times per day, combining learning and necessary hygiene.
In one hand washing activity, a teacher sprays the children's hands with water or cooking oil and then they put glitter on them.
They then have the children wash their hands and see how much glitter is still on them to show how germs can stick around if hand washing isn't done thoroughly.
Bouvia said the children wash their hands as soon as they come in and have quickly gotten used to the schedule.
"As the numbers get smaller and you see the same kids every day, you don't even have to say 'Go wash your hands.' They go right there to do it," Bouvia said.
For more information on good hand hygiene, visit the CDC Handwashing page.
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