Welcome to the ECE Recap where you can find the
most recent and important information from the
Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL).
J&J Vaccine Update
April 30, 2021: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lifted the temporary recommended pause of use on the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine. The Pennsylvania Department of Health has also advised vaccine providers that they can resume use of the J&J vaccine in Pennsylvania.

We recognize that there may be some concern and hesitancy specifically towards the J&J vaccine now that it is available again, and we’d like to share a bit of information to help you weigh your options regarding the vaccines available.

By recommending that the country resume using the J&J vaccine, the CDC and FDA are affirming the J&J vaccine’s overall safety. The agencies’ joint statement on the return is available here, but we would like to highlight a few points. Read more.
PA’s FFY 2022-24 CCDF Draft State Plan – Public Comment and Hearing
The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has completed Pennsylvania’s FFY 2022-24 CCDF Draft State Plan. The Public Comment period has officially begun and the Public Hearing will be held virtually on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, from 11:00am to 2:30pm. To view the State Plan, submit a public comment, register to attend the Public Hearing and register to provide testimony please visit the Department of Human Service’s website here.
Format Change for FBI Clearance Result Letter
As of April 17, 2021, ChildLine has changed the format of the FBI Clearance Result letter. The major change observed in the new format is the consolidation of result boxes. Instead of the four checkboxes previously used on the letter, all result letters now display only two boxes and either “ELIGIBLE” or “INELIGIBLE” will be checked. Any agency that receives these result letters and wishes to verify the validity may contact ChildLine at 717-783-6211 or 1-877-371-5422. Childline cannot discuss the specific outcome for the applicant(s) with third parties, but can verify receipt of the new letter template. Information regarding clearances and fingerprinting can be found on the Department of Human Services website.
Guiding Principles for Fully Vaccinated Individuals
On April 27, 2021 the CDC provided guiding principles for fully vaccinated individuals. These updates were intended to provide fully vaccinated individuals with new guidance in evaluating the safety of various activities, including recommendations related to the wearing of masks. Please note:
 
  • This new CDC guidance on masks for those who are fully vaccinated is directed to the public, not specifically to child care or school settings, where groups of unrelated children and adults are together both inside and outside of facilities.
  • The expectation continues to be that that if at all feasible, children age 2 and older and adults, including those who are fully vaccinated, wear masks while in any child care or other early learning settings.
  • In these settings, the adults are modeling the behavior of mask-wearing inside and outside the facility. This sends the message that wearing masks is a social responsibility to keep everyone safe and healthy. 
  • Currently there is no vaccine authorized for children under 16, so programs need to ensure that children age 2 and older are wearing masks when attending early care and education facilities to protect those who are at risk. Mask-wearing outside is still necessary because physical distancing between young children and their peers, as well as their adult caregivers, is difficult to implement with young children.

Should the CDC update its Guidance for Operating Child Care Programs during COVID-19, OCDEL will work with the PA DOH to review the impact on our current guidance and communicate any changes to the field via the Early Ed News and Certification Listserv. Until such time, programs should continue to follow C-20-12 Revised, Interim Guidance for Certified Child Care Facilities Operating During the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic as well as C-20-08 COVID-19 Operations for Licensed Child Care. 
What to Do If You Received the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
After a temporary pause, CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommend use of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 Vaccine resume in the United States. A review of all available data at this time shows that the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks. However, women under 50 years old should be aware of the rare but increased risk of the adverse event called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), and that there are other COVID-19 vaccine options available for which this risk has not been seen. CDC and FDA will continue to monitor the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines. Read more.