- Because the virus is contagious 3 to 5 days before symptoms are apparent, it is still possible for a large outbreak at the school, what are the plans to address that contingency and what will the school do to protect those students are at higher risk for an adverse outcome?
Despite our best efforts, there are risks of outbreaks at the school. If your family is at higher risks, we hope that you'll weigh that in your decision to attend on-campus classes vs. the online option. As we've shared before, there is a possibility that we would have to move a group, grade or division to online classes dependent on the severity of the outbreak. We'll be making those decisions with the Shelby County Health Department's aid and the doctors on out Task Force.
- What specific symptoms will be communicated to parents as those that should cause them to keep a student home from school?
The CDC has designated the following as possible symptoms of COVID-19:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Knowing that all of these symptoms could also be from other illnesses (like flu), families can provide documentation from a doctor outside of their nuclear family showing that their symptoms are caused by another type of virus (flu, strep, etc.). With the documentation, once they are symptom-free for 24 hours, they may return to school.
- How will the situation be handled if a student seems to get sick during the course of the school day?
Our nurse will be alerted, and the student will be checked for symptoms and will be isolated in a room awaiting parent pickup.
- If a teacher tests positive, will all students exposed have to quarantine?
Like other members of our community, they would follow our quarantine/testing procedure. According to the CDC contact tracing guidelines, only individuals who have come into close contact with someone who is infected need to be moved to quarantine. Practices and procedures on campus (6 feet of distance at all times, everyone in masks) are designed to avoid close contact between individuals.
Should a teacher become infected or have to quarantine, what is the plan to continue instruction?
We'll cover substitutions internally to ensure we're not bringing other potential exposure risks to campus. We believe that we do have enough people to work as substitutes, but will monitor it closely.
I thought CDC specified 14 days quarantine form exposure or +ve test?
If the child was in close contact with a positive person, they would follow the quarantine/testing procedure:
- Provide documentation of two negative COVID-19 tests taken greater than 24 hours apart
- Ten days have passed since close contact occurred with a person with a confirmed positive case
Practices and procedures on campus (6 feet of distance at all times, everyone in masks) are designed to avoid close contact between individuals and to protect our community in cases like this. Families of classmates would be notified of the potential exposure, but only asked to quarantine if it is determined that they have been in close contact with the individual.