The COVID guidelines for K-12 schools have changed numerous times in the past month. I will briefly review some of the basics, but please always reach out to me if your child was exposed to a positive COVID case or tests positive and I will be able to help you to navigate the most recent guidelines.
Basic quarantine/isolation guidelines:
- The basic quarantine/isolation/travel advisory is 5/5/5. That means if exposed to a positive case, you will need to quarantine for 5 days. If you test positive for COVID, you will need to isolate for 5 days and if you travel outside the surrounding states for more than 24 hours, you will need to quarantine for 5 days.
- If you are fully vaccinated and/or tested positive for COVID within 90 days, you do not have to quarantine.
Important additional information:
- A positive case is considered infections for a full 10 days after symptom start date (or test date if they have no symptoms). A positive case is required to quarantine fully for 5 days. On days 6-10, they can come off quarantine and return to school, however they should continue to wear a mask and physically distance from others BOTH at home and at school during this time.
- If a household member tests positive, it is important to isolate away from them as soon as possible. The close contact's 5 days of quarantine begins after their last day of exposure to the positive case. Therefore, if the household member is unable to isolate, consistently wear a mask or physically distance at home, the close contact will need to quarantine longer.
How are close contacts determined in a school setting:
- When the school nurse is notified of a positive case, she must first determine if the positive case was in school during their potentially infectious period. Infectious period is two days prior and 10 days after symptom start date or test date (if no symptoms).
- The nurse, in consult with the classroom teacher, will review classroom, lunchroom and bus seating charts to determine possible close contacts.
- In the classroom setting, the students' desks are 3 feet apart and the students consistently wear their masks so the number of close contacts in the classroom setting is limited.
- At lunch, the students are physically distanced, but they do not wear masks. Therefore, the students sitting adjacent to a positive case are considered close contacts.
- On the bus, the students wear their masks, but they are not physically distanced. Therefore, the students sitting adjacent to a positive case are considered close contacts.
- Attendance, vaccination status, duration of contact and previous infection dates are reviewed to determine if a close contact will need to quarantine.
- Parents of close contacts are then notified.
What if a classroom has multiple cases of COVID in a short period of time (outbreak):
- Positive cases of COVID are reported to our local health department.
- If there is an increase in the number of cases in a certain classroom/cohort, the local health department, in consultation with administration, will recommend additional measures to be taken based on the circumstances involved.
- Measures include but are not limited to sending a "parent alert letter", adjusting seating spacing & arrangements, additional cleaning measures and/or switching to a virtual capacity.
How are absences handled:
- Parents receive a follow up email to confirm quarantine/isolation dates and times.
- Secretary and teachers are notified of absence and first possible date of return.
- Parent is requested to reach out to teacher for instructions for virtual learning.
- Virtual learning is offered to those student who are quarantined/isolated.
- Please give teachers 24 hours to set up virtual learning for your child.
Any additional questions or concerns:
- This is actually a very brief overview of the most recent NJ DOH guidelines from January 19, 2022.
- If you have any additional questions or concerns, please call me or email me @ jluisi@jefftwp.org or (973) 697-4777 ext 5535
- I will return your call within 24 hours and help you to navigate your individual circumstances.
Hang in there, everyone....this too shall pass.
