Spring 2022 COVID Requirements to Remain in Effect for Fall

The CDC and Washington DOH recently updated COVID guidance for schools for Fall 2022. While some requirements were revised, all protocols relating to symptomatic students and staff will remain the same as last spring. Below is a summary of these protocols.

Dear Parents:

The Washington DOH updated its "Requirements and Guidance to Mitigate COVID-19 Transmission in K-12 Schools and Child Care" on August 5, 2022.  Following these safety protocols reduces the spread of COVID-19. This letter explains how the updated guidance impacts your family and the community.

Here are the guidelines for common situations:

Symptomatic Individuals:

• Students, children, and staff who have symptoms of COVID-19 are required to stay home

• Symptoms of COVID-19 include: fever and chills, cough, sore throat. A full list of symptoms as defined by the CDC are available here.

• Any student, child, or staff who reports or exhibits COVID-19-like symptoms while at school is required to be immediately isolated from others and sent home

• While waiting to leave the school the individual with symptoms will be isolated in a designated isolation space and required to wear a well fitting mask

  • The designated isolation space for individuals with COVID-19-like symptoms will be separated from the space used for those requiring general first aid or medicine distribution.

Symptomatic Students / Staff Return to School:

• If the individual tests negative for COVID-19 or receives an alternative named diagnosis from a health care provider they can return to school when both of the following are met:

  • If there is no fever within the past 24 hours (without medication) AND

  • Symptoms have significantly improved 

• If the individual does not get tested for COVID-19 or does not receive an alternative named diagnosis from a health care provider they can return to school when the following are met:

  • Complete a 10-day isolation at home (Day 0 is the date of symptom onset) AND

  • There is no fever within the past 24 hours (without medication) AND

  • Symptoms have significantly improved

Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19:

• A student, child, or staff who tests positive for COVID-19 is required to isolate at home, regardless of vaccination status

• The individual may return to school / activities after 5 full days of isolation (day 0 is the date of symptom onset or the date when the positive test was conducted) when the following are met:

  • Their symptoms have resolved, AND

  • They are without a fever for the past 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medications, AND

  • Test negative with an antigen test any day after day 5

    • Testing to return to school must done through the HSD testing service or another certified testing facility 

    • At home tests are not accepted for this purpose

• If the individual does not test negative, they must continue isolating through day 10

  • Individuals may retest any day after day 5 to return

• Please notify the HSD Health-Safety manager Caleb Millay at caleb.millay@hocksd.org in the event of a positive test result

Exposure to a positive COVID-19 Case:

• Exposure is defined as someone who was within 6 feet of a COVID-19 case for 15 cumulative minutes or more over a 24-hour period of time during the case’s infectious period

• Regardless of vaccination status, students, children, and staff who were potentially exposed to COVID-19:

  • May continue to take part in all in-person instruction and care, including sports, performing arts, and other extracurricular activities, as long as they are not symptomatic

  • Must closely monitor for symptoms

  • Should consider wearing a well-fitted mask (if age appropriate) for 10 days after the last date of exposure

  • Should be tested 3-5 days after their last exposure

    • Including those previously Covid positive within 90 days

• Students / staff no longer have to quarantine due to being a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case

Notification of potential exposure:

• In the event of an individual being on a school campus while contagious with COVID-19, HSD will notify teachers, staff and families if they or their student are potentially exposed

  • The contagious period is 48 hours prior to symptoms developing or the positive test result

  • Potential exposure is defined as, but not limited to:

    • Being in the same classroom as the positive case

    • Being on the same sports team as the positive case

    • Being in the same club / activity as the positive case

• Notifications will be sent through email to staff members

• Notifications will be sent through email via Skyward to families

  • To ensure communications are received please update your contact information in Skyward