Preparing for COVID-19 Cases in Lansing USD 469 (8/31/20)
As the first day of school quickly approaches, we want to remind parents that if your child tests positive or is in close contact with a positive case, he or she will be required by the Leavenworth County Health Department to quarantine for 10 days immediately following the positive test or exposure.
**If an individual is a close contact but is FULLY vaccinated and asymptomatic, they will NOT be required to quarantine.**
It is vitally important that you have a contingency plan if your child is quarantined.
We realize there will be lots of rumors and conversations about others in our community and their health during this time. We ask that you respect the right of each individual under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). This act was put into place to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge.
Please review the following information regarding symptoms, close contacts, positive cases in our school, etc.:
SYMPTOMS
Students and employees exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 without other obvious explanations are prohibited from coming to school, and if they do come to school, they will be sent home immediately. The current known symptoms are:
- Fever (100 or higher).
- Chills.
- Rigors.
- Muscle or body aches.
- Fatigue.
- Headache.
- Sore throat.
- Lower respiratory illness (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing).
- New loss of taste or smell.
- Diarrhea.
Defining a Case of COVID-19 Disease and the Infectious Period
A person is considered a case of COVID-19 disease if they have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus by a diagnostic test (PCR or antigen). Based on what we currently know, a case is considered infectious two days prior to the onset of symptoms through at least 10 days after the onset of symptoms. For cases that do not have symptoms, the infectious period is considered as two days prior to the date the sample was collected through a minimum of 10 days from the date the sample was collected. Cases must remain in isolation until they have met the criteria for release from isolation set by Leavenworth County Health Department.
Confirmed Case of COVID-19 In the School Building
When there is confirmation that a person infected with COVID-19 was in a school building, the school will contact the local health department immediately. The school will work with Leavenworth County Health Department to assess for close contacts within students and staff and inform those who are exposed that they must start a mandatory 10-day quarantine period.
Please note: The school district DOES NOT have authority to quarantine students or staff. Only the Leavenworth County Health Department has the authority to quarantine individuals.
As soon as Leavenworth County Health Department notifies us of which students are to be quarantined, we will notify families and send students home. This could happen at any point in the school day, and we can't stress enough that parents must have a contingency plan if their student is sent home and placed under quarantine. This will be required by our health department and out of the school's control.
The individual who tested positive will not be identified in communications to the school community at large.
Defining a Close Contact
A person is considered a close contact of a case if they were within 3 feet of the case for 15 minutes or more or if they had exposure to secretions (for example, being coughed or sneezed on). Close contacts must remain in quarantine by order of our health department until they have met the criteria for release from quarantine.
Return to School After Exclusion
Once a student or employee is excluded from the school environment, they may return if they satisfy the recommendations of Leavenworth County Health Department. Currently those guidelines are:
- Untested. Persons who have not received a test proving or disproving the presence of SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, but experience symptoms may return if the following conditions are met:
- Ten (10) calendar days have passed since symptoms first appeared AND
- Fever free for 72 hours without the use of fever reducing medicine and other symptoms have improved (for example, when cough or shortness of breath have improved).
- Whichever criteria is longer. Meaning, a minimum of 10 days.
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Tested and awaiting results. Persons who are suspected of having COVID-19 disease and are awaiting test results should be isolated at home until test results are received.
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Positive result.
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Symptomatic cases may return if the following conditions are met:
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Ten (10) calendar days have passed since symptoms first appeared AND
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Fever free for 72 hours without the use of fever reducing medicine and other symptoms have improved (for example, when cough or shortness of breath have improved).
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Whichever criteria is longer. Meaning, a minimum of 10 days.
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Asymptomatic cases may return if the following conditions are met:
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Ten (10) calendar days have passed since the date sample was collected AND
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Symptoms have not developed.
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If symptoms develop during the 10- day isolation period, then follow the above criteria for symptomatic cases with a new isolation period starting from the day symptoms started.
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Negative result.
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Known exposure to a COVID-19 case or travel from a location on the KDHE Travel- related Quarantine List People who are identified as close contacts of a COVID-19 case or have travelled from a location on the KDHE Travel-related Quarantine List must be quarantined for 10 days. A negative test result within the 10-day quarantine period does not affect the quarantine period and the person must finish their 10-day quarantine.
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No known exposure to a COVID-19 case or travel-related exposure. People who have not been identified as a close contact to a COVID-19 case and have not travelled from a location on the KDHE Travel-related Quarantine List may return to work/school.
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Other Students and Employees in the Household
- If a student or employee is excluded from school because of a positive COVID-19 test, other students and employees living in the same household are considered close contacts and will be excluded from school for a mandatory 10-day quarantine period set by our health department, which begins after their last exposure to the case. If the household contacts continue to live in the same household as the case while the case is in isolation, the 10-day quarantine period for household contacts begins once the case is released from isolation by Public Health.
- If a student or employee is excluded from school on a 10-day mandatory quarantine period because they have been identified as a close contact of a case, then other students and employees living in the same household are considered contacts of a contact and do not need to be excluded from school unless they were also identified as a close contact of a case.
School Response to Student or Employee in Isolation or Quarantine
As soon as the school becomes aware of a student or employee that has been diagnosed with COVID-19 disease, the custodial staff will be informed so that all desks, lockers and workspaces of the person are thoroughly disinfected. If the school is not open when notification occurs, the custodial staff will wait 24 hours or as long as possible prior to disinfecting and instead will block off the area so that others do not have contact. However, if that is not possible or school is in session, the cleaning will occur immediately.
School staff will immediately begin compiling a list of close contacts, including names, email addresses and phone numbers. Consider the two days prior to when the case started having symptoms or if the case was asymptomatic the two days prior to the date the sample was collected. Identify anyone who would have been within 3 feet for 15 minutes or more or would have had direct contact with secretions. Guardians of students who have been identified as close contacts and any staff identified as close contacts will be informed immediately. Leavenworth County Health Department will require close contacts to start a 10-day mandatory quarantine period starting from the day after the last contact with the case.
Separation While in School
Each school must have a room or space separate from the nurse’s office where students or employees who may have COVID-19 or another communicable disease will wait to be evaluated or for pick- up. Students will be given a mask to wear. Only essential staff and students assigned to the room may enter, all will sign in so that there is a record of the persons who entered the room, and the room will be disinfected several times throughout the day. Strict social distancing is required, and staff must wear appropriate PPE. Students who are ill will be walked out of the building to their parents.
Care Rooms for Students with Physical Needs
Each school will designate a location separate from the nurse’s office for the care of students with special care needs, such as suctioning, tube feeding and nebulizers to minimize exposure to students who might be ill. The room will be disinfected frequently, and all staff members present will wear appropriate PPE. The student will be provided a mask.