EDMONTON -- Childcare centres and day camps were among the services given a green light to being operating again Thursday as part of the Alberta’s first relaunch step.

A seven-page guide outlines what licensed child care centres need to do before opening, and during their operation moving forward: Programs can operate in cohorts of 10 people who stay together throughout the day, including staff and children. They cannot mix with other cohort groups or be in the same room at the same time.

Parents will be also asked to check their kids' temperatures daily before coming in and any essential visitors will have to fill out a questionnaire to determine whether or not they can enter a facility.

Day camps will run under similar rules.

Two doctors spoke with CTV News Edmonton about how working parents can keep their children safest.

GERMS ARE UNAVOIDABLE

Despite the precautions that will be taken at the facilities, pediatrician Dr. Bruce Wright says it is impossible to totally prevent the sharing of germs.

And it’s a reality parents need to accept.

"Kids are going to get sick. I don’t think there’s anything specific you can do. I think daycares are going to be doing their best," Wright said.

BE AWARE OF THE SYMPTOMS

That said, guardians should be familiar with the warning signs of the new coronavirus.

"Any symptoms of COVID present very similar symptoms of any other viral infection," Dr. Wright noted.

The list of common symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath or a sore throat.

Officials have also warned that some infections have also coincided with pink eye or, in the case of children, a rash since nicknamed "COVID toes."

"It looks like a bunch of blisters on the toes and feet. And nobody is exactly sure exactly what is causing them," Dr. Wright said.

UNDERSTAND THE RISK

Of the more than 6,400 confirmed COVID-19 cases Alberta has seen, fewer than 900 occurred in youth under the age of 19.

Age group, in years

Number of Alberta cases

Under 1

32

1-4

130

4-9

130

10-19

530

"I think part of that has to do with the fact that kids haven’t been in school and haven’t been in daycare. So the viral spread of any viral infection is obviously more prominent when people are indoors in close spaces," he commented.Pediatrician Dr. Bruce Wright believes there's a reason for that.

However, pediatrician Dr. Patrick Pierse added children who contract COVID-19 are at lower risk.

"While we think young children’s immune systems are immature, all I will say is they are in fact very strong. Because they come into this world ready to fight everything that is thrown at them."

BE RESPONSIBLE

The doctors offered one last bit of advice should a little one get sick.

"The recommendation is obviously to keep them home from daycare."

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Jeff Lawrence