Edmonds United Methodist Church said Thursday night it is closing its Children’s Center child care and preschool program for a 14-day quarantine after learning that a parent of a Children’s Center student tested positive this week for COVID-19.

According to church pastor Ann Jacob, the church was told Thursday that a parent who brought their child to the Children’s Center on Tuesday, Nov. 10 had tested positive for the virus. After conversations with the Centers for Disease Control and the Snohomish Health District, the church decided to close the center “out of an abundance of caution” for 14 days for quarantine, Jacob  said. The Children’s Center will be closed starting Friday, Nov. 13.

The child of the parent who tested positive “is symptom free at the moment and will be tested on Nov. 18,” she added.

Because the church also houses the Edmonds Food Bank, church pastors and leaders are working with the food bank “to ensure appropriate contact tracing and deep cleaning,” Jacob said. “Based on the information we have, the Edmonds Food Bank is able to operate within the current COVID guidelines,” and the food bank will be checking with the health department to assess if any additional health safety measures are needed, she added.

As of now, the Edmonds Food Bank will continue to serve the community, she said.

The 14-day quarantine starts from Nov. 10, when the exposure occurred. If none of the teachers and students show symptoms during the quarantine period, the Children’s Center will reopen on Tuesday, Nov. 24. Most of the  the church staff will also work remotely for the next two weeks. The church congregation has been holding services online during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“During this pandemic, our priority is to make sure that we are keeping our community healthy and safe while providing essential services,” Jacob said. “We are praying for a speedy recovery for all those affected by COVID including one of our parents, and we hope our teachers and students remain healthy during the quarantine. Thank you for holding our community in your prayers.”