Guidance for COVID-19

Masking, Exposure, Quarantine, and Testing – Updated 8/3/21

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC recommend universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors in schools, regardless of vaccination status. They also recommend universal masking for everyone ages 2 and up in the healthcare setting, regardless of vaccination status.

The following applies to individuals who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19:

If you have been exposed to an individual with a confirmed case of COVID-19, it is recommended that you quarantine for 7-10 days past the most recent exposure. Someone exposed who has no symptoms can come out of quarantine on the 10^th day after most recent exposure. These individuals do not have to have a test. Someone exposed who has no symptoms can come out of quarantine on day 7 if they have a negative test on or after day 5. Monitoring for symptoms, wearing a mask, hand washing, and social distancing are still recommended until the 14th day after exposure.

The following applies to individuals who are fully vaccinated and have been exposed to COVID-19:

A fully vaccinated person who has a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should be tested 3-5 days after exposure. They do not have to quarantine but should wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. Monitoring for symptoms, wearing a mask, hand washing, and social distancing are still recommended until the 14th day after exposure.

Definition of fully vaccinated: Completed 2 dose series of Moderna or 2 dose series of Pfizer at least 2 weeks ago OR received 1 dose of Johnson & Johnson at least 2 weeks ago.

Testing too early can produce a false negative result. It is reasonable to wait until day 3 of symptoms to be tested if symptoms are mild and manageable at home. It is still necessary to quarantine if symptoms are present.

If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, they should quarantine for a minimum of 10 days. If asymptomatic, the 10 days starts the day of the positive test. If symptomatic, the 10 days start on the day of first symptoms. If symptoms have not improved after 10 days, the individual should remain in quarantine until they are fever free without fever-reducing medications for 24 hours and there has been improvement in other symptoms.

If a household member tests positive for COVID, the time of quarantine for other household members is 17-20 days. This is because the positive individual can be contagious on day 10. This means a household member could be exposed on day 10 and then would need to quarantine for 7-10 days. See the beginning of this document for further explanation regarding when to discontinue quarantine if exposed.

What does quarantine mean:

STAY HOME. Do not attend school. Do not leave your home for work. Do not hang out with family or friends. Do not go to the store. Rely on friends and family members to bring you the things you need. Utilize no-contact delivery/drop-off options for groceries, food, etc. It is OK to spend time in your yard as long as you are by yourself. The quarantined individual should ideally stay in their own space as much as possible. They should not share space with other household members if possible. They should ideally have a designated bathroom that others do not use. This allows other household members to go about their daily activities. A contact of a contact does not have to be isolated, but if possible, it is a good idea to limit activities until the status of the exposed person is known.

 Additional Information about COVID-19 Infections

Measures that may be helpful during COVID infections: Although we do not have controlled studies proving that vitamins and supplements will prevent COVID infections from worsening, many authorities are recommending Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc. We do not recommend taking doses above the recommended daily amount by age. We recommend liberal intake of fluids, rest, and acetaminophen (Tylenol) as needed for fever and aches.

Call if fever lasts more than 3-4 days or if fever resolves and then returns. Call if there is worsening cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain.

Call if your student athlete has shortness of breath, decreased exercise tolerance, or chest pain with activity after illness has resolved.

Call if your child has fever, rash, conjunctivitis (pink eye), abdominal pain, vomiting, fatigue, or swollen lymph nodes after resolution of COVID illness. There is an entity called MIS-C (Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome in Children) that can occur 2-4 weeks after the initial illness. This illness requires treatment in a hospital setting.