The Boys and Girls Clubs of Yellowstone County has implemented new policies at its newly opened childcare facility to protect against the spread of the coronavirus.
The club’s vice president of program advancement, Annie Hasiak, said the nonprofit has brought in Asher Braaton, manager at KB Chemical sanitation supply company, to improve sanitizing at the Bair Family Clubhouse on Billings South Side.
“We have removed all porous things we can. We had to go purchase all new supplies that are a little safer and more easily sanitized and disinfected,” said Hasiak.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Montana rose by 11 on Monday, bringing the total number of cases to 45. Yellowstone County has seven cases.
Last Monday, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Yellowstone shuttered all five of its facilities when Gov. Steve Bullock ordered the closure of all Montana schools. Four of the Boys and Girls Clubs' centers were in school.
Then, on Thursday, the club's board decided to reopen the remaining facility, the Bair clubhouse, to homeless children and children of healthcare workers and first responders.
The club is also taking precautionary measures by taking everyone’s temperature upon arriving at the club. Kids will have their temperatures taken twice- once when they arrive, and a second time after lunch.
Parents will no longer be able to walk through the club when picking up their kids. They will be asked to wait at the front desk and their kid will be brought to them.
“Our max we have decided on is 150 in this building. We have had days in this building where we have had 300, 330, 340 kids but that’s not even a remote possibility,” said Hasiak.
The club is planning to limit groups of children to less than 25 in different parts of the clubhouse.
Hasiak said they currently have 20 kids but, they are expected to have 40 or 50 by the end of this week.
