Dear Clayton Family –
Like you, we here at Clayton are uncertain about what the immediate future looks like for the children and families of Tarrant County and North Texas. Our first concern is always the safety and health of your children, so we are following the recommendations of Tarrant County health officials and have closed our programs as well.
We take our nonprofit mission of serving our community very seriously and are exploring ways to meet the needs of our friends and neighbors in partnership with our government and nonprofit partners. Here’s an update on Clayton Youth Enrichment’s activities and plans:
Childcare for Essential Workers: We are actively exploring ways to help meet the needs of healthcare workers and other essential personnel who need childcare during the crisis. It is suspected the need for services could spike and we are preparing for that possibility by exploring non-school sites that could be used for childcare.
Preparing for the re-opening of schools: We are using this pause in operations to ensure our summer camp plans are ready to go. Should our school district partners decide to not resume operation in the school buildings for the spring semester, we are hoping to begin our camp programs earlier than our typical start date in May/June to meet the needs of families.
Managing the agency: Clayton’s board and leadership team places a high value on the people that work with us and we are doing our best to take care of them in these uncertain times. Out of necessity the decision was made this week to furlough our staff until our programming returns. This is needed for the long term stability of the agency and the staff have responded well. To provide a level of support, we are continuing to pay 100% of staff member health insurance premiums to ensure they have healthcare and to reduce their financial burden. They have been assured that we look forward to having them return as soon as we have the opportunity to bring them back.
As we head into April, please stay home if you can, keep your kids at home, and follow the recommended guidelines to minimize your family’s chances of contracting the virus. Information on the virus from the Center for Disease Control is included below to help you know the steps to take and the symptoms. You can also click here to be taken to useful information from PBS Kids about how to talk with your kids about Coronavirus along with some fun activities to share with your kids.
Please take care – we look forward to seeing your children again soon!
Jason Ray
President/CEO
Cindy Brewington
Chair, Board of Trustees
Clayton Youth Enrichment is actively taking measures to inform our staff and children on how to minimize the risk of contracting and transmitting COVID-19 virus.
Clayton Youth Enrichment is instructing all employees and students to be especially diligent about the steps they should be taking to avoid the flu or any other virus, which have been in place since the start of flu season. For example:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Ensure that there are ample facilities to wash hands, including tepid water and soap, and that third-party cleaning/custodial schedules are accelerated.
- Follow updates from OSHA, the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding additional precautions. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/influenza_pandemic.html
Symptoms of COVID-19 virus
The virus symptoms manifest as a mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) believes at this time that symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Unfortunately, at this point there is no easy way to test for the COVID-19 coronavirus. A CDC-developed laboratory test kit to detect the COVID-19 coronavirus began shipping in February to select qualified U.S. and international laboratories.
How is the current COVID-19 coronavirus transmitted?
People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose, or mouth. Therefore, it is important to stay more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from a person who is sick. The CDC recommends as much as 6 feet. It is possible to catch the virus from someone even before they have symptoms, but little is known about this aspect of the virus at this time.
Can the virus spread from contact with infected surfaces or objects?
It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
We have received many questions from parents and guardians about how the Coronavirus is different than the flu or a cold. This chart was created by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and we are sharing it to help our families and staff understand the common symptoms of the various illnesses we see at this time of year. If you have additional questions, please contact your doctor.
CORONAVIRUS, FLU, COLD OR ALLERGIES?
All four illnesses can share similar symptoms, but there are signs that can tell you which one you may actually have. For example, the common cold rarely produces a fever, unlike the flu and the coronavirus. Conversely, sneezing is not a symptom of the flu and coronavirus like it is for the cold and allergies.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Tarrant County Declarations and Orders
http://www.tarrantcounty.com/content/main/en/county/tarrant-county-covid-19-information.html
Tarrant County Public Health
http://www.tarrantcounty.com/en/public-health/disease-control—prevention/coronaviruas.html?linklocation=homecarousel&linkname=COVID-19
Meals for Students
https://txschools.gov/
2.1.1
http://211.org/
Safehaven
https://www.safehaventc.org/
Mortgage Information
https://www.npr.org/2020/03/19/818343720/homeowners-hurt-financially-by-the-coronavirus-may-get-a-mortgage-break
Food Banks
https://tafb.org/find-food
CDC HelpDesk
https://wonder.cdc.gov/controller/datarequest?stage=contactus&action=start
Texas Department of State Health’s Email Address for General Inquiries or Complaints
customer.service@dshs.texas.gov
Wifi Information
https://www.abc10.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/free-wifi-hotspots/103-8002bb36-b9f8-4c32-8801-7da31bfb8449
John Peter Smith (Fort Worth) Medical Information
https://www.jpshealthnet.org/
Teladoc’s Mental Health Line
https://www.teladoc.com/ways-we-help/?mentalhealth#services-area
Pharmacy Discounts
https://www.goodrx.com/
Wellness Program Portal
https://www.mymemberportal.com/#/Login
The SBA is hiring during coronavirus layoff: The Small Business Administration has created thousands of new jobs to assist with coronavirus relief efforts, and is hiring temporary employees right here in Texas District 12. Positions include customer service representatives, paralegals, and loan assistants, among others.
https://www.sba.gov/page/disaster-response-jobs-sba
Misinformation about the coronavirus is dangerous. The Federal Emergency Management Agency launched a Coronavirus Rumor Control page to ensure the information you and your loved ones are receiving is accurate. Stay informed and stay safe by visiting:
https://www.fema.gov/coronavirus-rumor-control
