UPDATED COVID GUIDLINES: MARCH 2024
FOR STAFF:
According to the Center for Disease control (CDC) there is no longer a mandatory quarantine period. Therefore, we no longer require employees to report they have COVID using the reporting form. Please report your absence from work as you normally would for any illness and provides documentation as outlined in your collective bargaining agreement.
Teachers you can Live Stream from home if you are feeling well enough to work. Please let Carla Saavedra via email at [email protected] know if you will be live streaming, otherwise your absence will be marked as sick. Please update Carla when you will be returning to work or no longer livestreaming so she can mark your attendance accordingly.
The updated Respiratory Virus Guidance recommends people with respiratory virus symptoms that are not better explained by another cause, stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both resolution of fever AND overall symptom are getting better. This recommendation addresses the period of greatest infectiousness and highest viral load for most people, which is typically in the first few days of illness and when symptoms, including fever, are worst. This is similar to longstanding recommendations for other respiratory illnesses, including influenza.
A residual risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains, depending on the person and circumstances, after the period in which people are recommended to stay home and away from others. Five additional days of interventions (i.e., masking, testing, distancing, improved air quality, hygiene, and/or testing) reduce harm during later stages of illness, especially to protect people at higher risk of severe illness. Some people, especially people with weakened immune systems, might be able to infect others for an even longer time. It is important to note that a similar residual risk of transmission is also true for influenza and other viruses.
We no longer need to isolate for 5 days. See CDC recommendations below:
- You can go back to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:
- Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
- You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).
- When you go back to your normal activities, take added precaution over the next 5 days, such as taking additional steps for cleaner air, hygiene, masks, physical distancing, and/or testing when you will be around other people indoors.
- Keep in mind that you may still be able to spread the virus that made you sick, even if you are feeling better. You are likely to be less contagious at this time, depending on factors like how long you were sick or how sick you were.
- If you develop a fever or you start to feel worse after you have gone back to normal activities, stay home and away from others again until, for at least 24 hours, both are true: your symptoms are improving overall, and you have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication). Then take added precaution for the next 5 days.