RICHMOND, Va. -- Parents who work at medical facilities in Richmond are taking on two tough jobs: fighting a pandemic and raising children.
To make things easier, the YMCA and City of Richmond have teamed up to offer free emergency childcare for essential medical workers.
"None of our city's most essential workforce should have to make a choice between continuing their work to ensure our society keeps on running or stay at home to care for their children," Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said during an announcement made on Friday.
The childcare is being offered for children in kindergarten through eighth grade, and healthcare providers are working with the YMCA to register families for the benefit.
Staff at the YMCA have been preparing for Monday by following guidelines posted by the department of health.
Workers are taking care to check temperatures, maintain the proper child-to-staff ratio and thoroughly clean spaces with CDC approved disinfectants.
The service is only available at the downtown Richmond YMCA, but Mayor Stoney says the city could use public school facilities to provide childcare to essential workers in other industries.