Study FAQ's

Please direct questions about the study to covidchildcarestudy@case.edu

This study is led by Dr. Darcy Freedman, Swetland Professor of Environmental Health Sciences and Director of the Mary Ann Swetland Center for Environmental Health at Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine.

This study is funded by the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. It is conducted in partnership with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

There are 6 components of this study. Depending on your role within the child care program, you may be eligible to participate in more than one component. Most people will only participate in 1-2 components.

Weekly Temperature Checks: Each Tuesday throughout the duration of the study, program administrators will provide an anonymous record of the temperatures collected for staff and children entering the child care program that day.
Weekly Health Attestations (*REQUIRED to take part in the other study activities):

Each week, staff and parents/caregivers will complete a brief, online health survey about signs and symptoms related to COVID-19.

Participants will be entered into a weekly raffle for a $25 Amazon gift card (10 cards raffled per week). After completing 4 surveys, participants will be entered into an additional raffle for a $25 Amazon gift card (10 cards raffled).

Online Parent/Caregiver Survey: About 300 parents/caregivers will be randomly selected to complete one online survey to share more information about experiences related to COVID-19. All survey participants will receive a $25 Amazon gift card after completing the survey.

Interviews: About 30 child care provider staff and parents/caregivers will be randomly selected to participate in one interview over the phone or online to share more information about experiences related to COVID-19. Interview participants will receive a $50 Amazon gift card after the interview.

Focus Groups: About 30 child care program administrators will be randomly selected to participate in one online focus group (i.e., group discussion) about their experiences operating a child care program since COVID-19 was declared a statewide pandemic. Focus group participants will receive a $50 Amazon gift card after completing the focus group.

Coronavirus Testing: All child care provider staff will have the chance to be tested for coronavirus. Participants will receive $50 for taking part in testing, as well as their individual test results.
 

• This study is designed to better understand how to lower the spread of COVID-19 and lessen the impact of COVID-19 among families and staff affiliated with child care programs in the state.
• The purpose of the study is not intended to capture compliance or non-compliance with the ODJFS regulations. In any report we might issue, we will not include any data that will make it possible to identify a participant or a child care program.
   

Phase 1 study activities will occur from August 15-November 20, 2020. Phase 2 will collect data from November 20-December 31, 2020. Monitoring of COVID-19 cases in child care will occur from the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 until the end of Phase 2.

A report from Phase 1 of the study will be available in December 2020. Phase 2 results will be shared in early 2021.

No. All interactions with the study team will be conducted virtually, through e-mail, Zoom, or phone call. COVID-19 testing will be self-administered.

●    Participation in this study should not interfere with your daily schedules. All components of the study will try to best accommodate your schedule and available time. 
●    Your participation is voluntary. You are free to quit this study at any time
 

If your child care program is open at the time of study onboarding (mid-August 2020), then your program is eligible to participate in the study.

 You have the option to voluntarily join different parts of the study. All participating programs will provide the weekly temperature checks to the study team.

For staff: If you are selected to be tested, the free COVID-19 testing will be done on a single day at your child care program using an FDA-approved self-testing kit from the company “Let’s Get Checked.” Testing on-site will be organized by a staff member from your child care program who will coordinate with the study team at CWRU. It should take no more than 20 minutes to complete all steps involved with testing. The test process consists of the following steps.

1.    You will make a secure online profile with Let’s Get Checked and share your health information and any COVID-19 symptoms. This is done on a phone app or by going to the Let’s Get Checked website.
2.    You will self-administer a gentle, non-invasive swab in the front part of your nose using the provided test kit. This swab will collect a sample that will be tested for the virus that causes COVID-19.  
3.    You will package the swab in the provided materials. The test kit will be mailed to a laboratory approved by Let’s Get Checked where the sample will be processed.
4.    You will be contacted by Let’s Get Checked with the result of your COVID-19 test. A nurse will contact you if you test positive for COVID-19 or if your result is not determined.

For parents/caregivers and children: More information coming soon.

●    Let’s Get Checked will share your results directly with you and the study team.
●    If you test positive for COVID-19, Let’s Get Checked is required by law to contact relevant public health authorities with your result. 
 

●    Please visit ODJFS’s website for resources 
●    This includes how to contact ODJFS and the health department, as well as how to request Pandemic Days should your program need to close temporarily.  
 

●    Please visit ODJFS’s website for resources
●    This includes how to contact ODJFS and the health department, as well as how to request Pandemic Days should your program need to close temporarily.  

Additional COVID-19 provider supports can be found on the ODJFS Provider Pandemic Page.