SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) – San Francisco is opening up its rec centers and libraries to provide emergency child care.

It is aimed at helping workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. 

As school yards become ghost towns, some parents are able to work from home while taking care of their kids, but that’s not the case for health care workers treating COVID-19 patients at the hospital. 

Its been advised that parents not turn to elderly grandparents as back up childcare because they’re more at risk to the virus. 

The city is opening up 37 rec centers and 28 libraries to help fill the gap. 

The spokesperson for the city’s rec and park department says, “Right now parents to qualify for emergency care for their children are healthcare workers on the front line of COIVD-19. So that includes people who are working for San Francisco hospitals, people working for the Department of Public Health and city employees who’ve been activated to be disaster workers. We also are providing slots for low income working families that may not have other childcare options.” 

The rec centers and libraries have a limited capacity at these emergency youth care facilities, in part because they are trying not to crowd the spaces in light of the pandemic.

Libraries are providing homework help for middle school and high school students, while rec centers are giving kids from K-5 more of a summer camp experience. 

“We’re practicing social distancing . There’s a lot of ‘rock, paper, scissors instead of rambunctious play,” the spokesperson said.

Those parents who qualify for this help, have been invited through email.
More spots could open up if the demand is not as overwhelming as expected. 

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