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September 16, 2020
Hello School Leaders,
As the school year is in full swing across the state, we are noticing that there is confusion about when students or staff members should stay home from school and for how long. There is confusion between the distinctions of when individuals are sick and/or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and when they have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19. We highly encourage everyone to review the COVID-19 decision tree exclusion guidance, as it’s called, which lays out a number of scenarios and appropriate steps for children, students and staff.
Guidance for those who have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19
One of the most frequent misconceptions that we want to clarify is that any student or school employee who has been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19 needs to stay home, quarantined, for a minimum of 14 days. This is regardless of test results and includes those who have received a negative COVID-19 test result. It is very important to remember that individuals cannot test out of quarantine after a close contact. This is because there is no way for us to shorten the 14-day incubation period. To put it another way, it could take up to 14 days for the virus to take hold in your body and for you to become infected. It is possible that you could test negative at the beginning of the incubation period, but then test positive toward the end of the incubation period. In fact, the guidance recommends that testing should occur no sooner than 5 to 7 days after a close contact or exposure (or at any point if symptoms develop) to guard against a potential false negative test result due to being tested too early in the incubation period.
We recognize that this may be frustrating to hear if students and colleagues cannot return to the classroom quickly. That’s why is it so important that we all work together to encourage our school communities not to gather in large groups, to wear a mask, wash their hands often and practice social distancing when they are not at school, in order to keep students and school staff as safe as possible.
Guidance for those who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms without known exposure
For those who do not know if they have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19 but are feeling sick – this guidance provides direction about when to stay home. It recommends anyone with a single symptom more common to COVID-19 stay home until a negative COVID-19 test result, an alternative diagnosis from a doctor, or 10 days pass from the time symptoms start until they improve. Those more common symptoms include fever of 100.4 or higher, new onset or worsening cough, difficulty breathing, and a new loss of taste or smell.
Again, we highly encourage everyone to review the COVID-19 decision tree exclusion guidance. We ask that you please help distribute the COVID-19 Attendance Guide for Parents and Families which lays out a number of scenarios and appropriate steps for children, students and staff. Educators are known to tough it out and be there for our students no matter what. We cannot do that this school year. Urging students and school staff to stay home when sick or when they have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19 is our best tool to fight this pandemic.
Thank you for your continued partnership and leadership,
Heather Mueller, Ed.D.
Deputy Commissioner of Education
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