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This month’s email from the Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) CCHP includes the following topics:
Health & Safety Information for Child Care Providers
Continuing Education, Training, & Financial Opportunities
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Health & Safety Information for Child Care Providers |
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Flu and Respiratory Virus Season Reminders
The 2025-2026 influenza "flu" season is here. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus that can infect the nose, throat, and lungs. The virus is spreading at its highest rate in nearly 30 years and is likely to continue rising in the coming weeks. Emergency department visits for influenza-like illness are the highest among kids ages 5-17, with children under 5 close behind. You can track data for respiratory illnesses, like the flu, COVID-19, and RSV, for King County on the PHSKC Illness Data Dashboard.
The CCHP has many tools available on our website to help prevent and control the spread of illness. Please visit our disease prevention webpage for the following tools and translated materials:
- Illness Prevention Checklists are available, with specific versions:
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Keep Me Home If poster, which outlines when children are too sick to attend
Reporting Respiratory Illnesses:
- To report flu, other respiratory illness (RSV, Rhinovirus, or undiagnosed respiratory illness), or notifiable condition (norovirus, varicella) outbreaks, call Public Health at 206-296-4774
Please Share the Following Vaccine Information with Staff and Families:
There are vaccines available for all three of the major respiratory illnesses: COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Vaccine recommendations for the 2025-26 respiratory virus season can be viewed here. It’s not too late to get the flu vaccine, as the flu season usually lasts through March.
Where to Get Vaccinated in King County
More information on specific illnesses and how staff and families can access vaccines can be found on PHSKC’s respiratory illnesses webpage.
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Updated Bleach Labels and 3-Step Poster
The CCHP has updated the colors of its bleach labels and the 3-Step Method of Cleaning poster to match!
Now, both the poster and spray bottle labels:
- show Step 1: Clean as yellow, Step 2: Rinse as blue, and Step 3: Sanitize as green and Step 3: Disinfect as red;
- list which products should be used and the appropriate drying method for each step;
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The sanitize and disinfect labels now:
- show bolded and CAPITALIZED quantities of water and bleach for clarity;
- have instructions for leaving the solution on the surface instead of just using the term “contact time.”
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Sanitize and Disinfect labels are available for three concentrations (percentages) of bleach and listed by quart and gallon sizes on the website. Please print new labels for your spray bottles and post new posters in your classrooms and kitchens!
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Continuing Education, Training, & Financial Opportunities |
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Free Online Developmental Screening Available to Providers
Help Me Grow Washington offers free online developmental screening and technical assistance to early child care and education providers across Washington. Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) Online supports your role in early childhood development and connects children and families to local resources, support, and services when needed. Flyers with more information are available in English and Spanish.
Applications for Free Heat Pumps and Other Energy Improvements Now Open
Licensed family home child cares can apply for housing improvements to lower energy costs, increase comfort, and improve indoor air quality via the Energize Program. Energy efficiency home improvements include heat pumps, induction cookstoves, and insulation, among others.
Program applications opened January 12. To learn more, attend one of these online information sessions:
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