MONTREAL -- Should a second wave of COVID-19 hit Quebec, the provincial government is promising that the childcare network will remain open.

On Thursday, Families Minister Mathieu Lacombe and Health Minister Christian Dube unveiled the government's plan for the childcare system as the pandemic continues. The ministers stressed that it's a question of when, not if, a second wave will hit the province, but added that the size of that wave could vary.

Still, the ministers insisted that they have learned much from the first wave that hit the province in the spring, forcing the temporary closure of all daycare centres.

“We will not go back to multiple closings we've had in past months during the first wave,” said Lacombe. “We will not go back to that situation. It was very difficult for many families and it upended many people's lives.”

Lacombe noted that transmission among young children has been relatively rare, with only 123 cases being confirmed in the daycare system, and only 57 of those being found in children.

“We see the risks are very low in keeping childcare services open,” he said. “It's a safety net for our more vulnerable children as well.”

Lacombe said precautions will continue to be in place to prevent the spread of the virus, including issuing personal protective equipment to daycare staff and keeping parents from circulating in the facilities, though he added that some exceptions will be made when scared children need to be calmed when being dropped off. 

The pair of ministers were joined by Richard Masse, a doctor and adviser to the health ministry. Masse said protocols are being put in place for when a child presents symptoms. He advised parents that if a child has a minor symptom such as a runny nose, they should be kept home and monitored for a day. If more symptoms become evident, parents should consult the health ministry website and consult a questionnaire that's been made available to determine next steps, such as going for a COVID-19 test. 

Lacombe said in the case of siblings, each child should be treated as a separate case. However, if it's determined that one child requires a test, the whole family should self-isolate until the result is obtained. 

Masse noted that a single child from a daycare centre testing positive for COVID-19 does not constitute an outbreak, but if a second child tests positive and it's determined the two cases are related, decisions on whether to temporarily close the daycare centre will be made on a case-by-case basis. 

“There are going to be outbreaks. We know it's going to happen. When it happens, we will take the necessary measures.”