Community Levels and Prevention Strategies
These strategies are based on the Washington County reported Community Level, our internal indicators like student absences, noted specific core group outbreaks, and staffing. The strategies are derived from the CDC/MDH Operational Guidance for Schools dated 8/11/2022.
Isolation
Staff and students who test positive for COVID-19 need to complete the respective COVID notification form immediately and notify supervisor & HR (staff) or Division attendance line (students). Positive individuals must stay home for at least 5 days from the start of symptoms and may return to school on day 6 if symptoms have improved and no fever for 24 hours without fever reducing medication. On days 6-10 the individual must wear a well-fitting mask/respirator. If symptoms recur or worsen, go/stay home and restart isolation at day 0. If an individual has moderate to severe illness or immunocompromised, isolate for the full 10 days.
Quarantine
No quarantine is required unless an individual lives in congregate housing.
Exposed
No matter the vaccination status or symptom status, if exposed to someone who tests positive it is recommended the staff/student get tested 3-5 days from last exposure, wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days, and stay home if symptoms develop (test again). If an individual had COVID-19 in the last 90 days no need to test unless they have symptoms.
Community Levels:
Low
- Maintain good ventilation
- Provide at-home COVID-19 test kits as requested
- Provide information on vaccines
- Report positive cases (weekly aggregate report)
- Send notifications to school close contacts within 24 hours of receiving positive case info from staff/family
Medium
- Maintain good ventilation
- Provide at-home COVID-19 test kits as requested
- Provide information on vaccines
- Report positive cases (weekly aggregate report)
- Send notifications to school close contacts within 24 hours of receiving positive case info from staff/family
- Alert school community of increased level
- Promote at-home COVID-19 screening testing
- Convene COVID Response Team
High
- Maintain good ventilation
- Provide at-home COVID-19 test kits as requested
- Provide information on vaccines
- Report positive cases (weekly aggregate report)
- Send notifications to school close contacts within 24 hours of receiving positive case info from staff/family
- Alert school community of increased level
- Promote at-home COVID-19 screening testing
- Convene COVID Response Team
- Universal indoor masking recommended
- Hold activities outside if feasible, consider rescheduling or cancelling
Outbreak
Regardless of community level. Defined as 3 or more in a classroom, on a sports team, at an extracurricular activity, or at YCARE OR 10% of a grade and/or Division
- Maintain good ventilation
- Provide at-home COVID-19 test kits as requested
- Provide information on vaccines
- Report positive cases (weekly aggregate report)
- Send notifications to school close contacts within 24 hours of receiving positive case info from staff/family
- Alert school community of increased level
- Promote at-home COVID-19 screening testing
- Convene COVID Response Team
- Universal indoor masking recommended
- Hold activities outside if feasible, consider rescheduling or cancelling
- Work with state/local public health
