Day care providers' vaccines

stepper1725

Hi there,

 Just wanted to get  some perspective on a question that came up in our interview with a day care center. After touring the place, which seemed great-- happy babies, friendly caregivers, etc etc, I asked the director if the caregivers were up to date on their whooping cough vaccines. She seemed caught off gaurd by the question and said she would have to look into it.

I haven't looked into the state requirements where I live, but there has been a recent whooping cough outbreak in my county and with all of the PSAs urging parents and grandparents to get vaccinated, it seems like day care providers would also need to be vaccinated. At this particular center, they take infants as young as 2 1/2 weeks, well before they can get their first round of vaccines.

So my question is, are your childcare providers up to date on his/her vaccines, whooping cough in particular? Would this be a deal breaker for you?

MNgirl326

I have no idea if they are up to date on their vaccines or not. 

I know they have been hired by my center, so they hold the specific qualifications that my center requires.

No it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.  I make sure my kid is up to date on their vaccines, and trust that the center is making sure that the send kids home that are sick.  That's about all i can do.

laurakaz13

My center requires everyone, teachers and children alike, to be up to date on their vaccines at all times.  This includes the Pertussis vaccine.  They do not even allow delayed schedules, which is awesome! 

bearkatjen

Great question! I just looked into getting DH and myself boosters, but I hadn't even thought to ask our daycare if their staff is up to date.

stdldb29

I'm assuming not. I work with children as well (I'm a teacher) and I wouldnt get the vaccine. I'm not really sure how could they actually require that.

kirac

I would be concerned for an infant.  The infant can't get the shot early so I required my nanny to get the shot because of the whooping cough outbreak.  I wouldn't be worried about a toddler because they have had the shots by then.  If you loved the center otherwise, I'd probably still do it, but I would definitely be concerned.

gimmietimmies

My in home dcp is required to by law, as are my kids. The agency my dcp goes through is goverment regulated and inspected, so we all have to provide proof of immunization. And I can absolutely see why they'd request it. I have no problems with it, and neither did my dcp.

BigIsland07

All the teachers at my dcp are required to be up to date on whooping cough. They're also required to get flu shots.

LoCarb

Funny you mention this b/c when I p/u the the kids at DC last Friday they were having a staff mtg after work. One of the employees was discussing the topic of the mtg. One topic was vaccines for the workers.  If they weren't up to date they will have to be soon.

kyethra

We have a babysitter a few hours a week and my mom watches the baby the other times I work (I work half time).  I expect them to be up on their pertussis and flu shots and I have said so and I offer to pay for them.  I was clear about this and it wasn't an issue.  And before DS had his first round of vaccines I wouldn't let anyone without theirs hold him, including my brother.  That may sound harsh, but I wasn't going to take any chances with my little preemie.