MUSD Student Illness Protocol for COVID-19
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Following is the protocol for MUSD students who have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or have exposure to or test positive for COVID-19. To ensure the health and safety of MUSD students and staff, we will follow CDC and Pima County Health Department (PCHD) guidance. Parents/Guardians are expected to follow the steps below.
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If a student exhibits COVID-19 like symptoms:
- Student should not report to school.
- If student is present at school and exhibiting COVID-19 like symptoms, Parents/Guardians will be notified by Health Office staff and required to pick up student within one hour.
- The following criteria must be met for the student to return to school:
- The student is tested for COVID-19 and receives a negative COVID-19 result, he/she may return to school if symptoms have improved and student is fever free without the use of fever reducing medication.
- Or the student is not tested for COVID-19, he/she may return to school after 10 days have passed since symptoms began, and student is fever free without the use of fever-reducing medication.
- Or the student receives an alternative diagnosis and is cleared by a health care provider, he/she may return to school.
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If a student has been exposed to COVID-19 outside of school:
- Student should not report to school.
- Parents/Guardians should notify the Attendance Clerk or the School Health Office.
- If a Parent/Guardian leaves a voicemail message, the Attendance Clerk or School Health Office staff will return a call as soon as possible.
- The Attendance Clerk or the School Health Office staff will notify the Health Facilitator/School Nurse and student will be entered into Health Services tracking log and followed by Health Services.
A person who had known close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case should quarantine for 14 days from their last exposure to the case. However, individuals may be eligible for the acceptable options to shorten quarantine outlined below.- Safest: Full 14 days quarantine at home
- Safer option - Full 10 days with no testing: Days 1-10 quarantine at home; Days 11-14 released from quarantine, but monitor for symptoms and wear a mask
- Safe option - Full 7 days with testing**: Days 1-7 quarantine at home; Days 8-14 released from quarantine after receiving negative test, but monitor for symptoms and wear a mask
Individuals may use safer or safe alternatives only if the following conditions are met:
- Individual does not live in a congregate setting; AND
- No clinical evidence of COVID-19 has been elicited by daily symptom monitoring during the entirety of quarantine up to the time at which quarantine discontinued; AND
- Daily symptom monitoring continues through quarantine day 14; AND
- Strict adherence to all recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions (e.g., correct and consistent mask use, physical distancing) continues through quarantine day 14.
MUSD Health Services staff will follow-up with Parents/Guardians during self-monitoring phase to inquire about development of symptoms and provide further guidance.
*PCHD has updated the guidance to align with revised CDC recommendations to allow for a shorter quarantine duration for people exposed to someone infected with COVID-19. Close contacts living in congregate settings, where there is a much higher risk of disease spread, are required to quarantine the full 14-day period.
** A Negative test at least 5 days full days following exposure might allow close contact to end quarantine after 7 full days if no symptoms reported. See quarantine guidance for criteria in this special exception.
If symptoms develop during any quarantine timeframe, isolate and get tested. Learn more at the Pima County COVID-19 Resource page.
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If a student has been exposed to COVID-19 at school:
- Parents/Guardians will be notified ASAP and are expected to pick up student within one hour.
- Student will be placed in isolation at school until picked up by Parents/Guardians.
- The Attendance Clerk or the School Health Office staff will notify the Health Facilitator/School Nurse and student will be entered into Health Services tracking log and followed by Health Services.
A person who had known close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case should quarantine for 14 days from their last exposure to the case. However, individuals may be eligible for the acceptable options to shorten quarantine outlined below.
- Safest: Full 14 days quarantine at home
- Safer option - Full 10 days with no testing: Days 1-10 quarantine at home; Days 11-14 released from quarantine, but monitor for symptoms and wear a mask
- Safe option - Full 7 days with testing**: Days 1-7 quarantine at home; Days 8-14 released from quarantine after receiving negative test, but monitor for symptoms and wear a mask
Individuals may use safer or safe alternatives only if the following conditions are met:
- Individual does not live in a congregate setting; AND
- No clinical evidence of COVID-19 has been elicited by daily symptom monitoring during the entirety of quarantine up to the time at which quarantine discontinued; AND
- Daily symptom monitoring continues through quarantine day 14; AND
- Strict adherence to all recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions (e.g., correct and consistent mask use, physical distancing) continues through quarantine day 14.
MUSD Health Services staff will follow-up with Parents/Guardians during self-monitoring phase to inquire about development of symptoms and provide further guidance.
*PCHD has updated the guidance to align with revised CDC recommendations to allow for a shorter quarantine duration for people exposed to someone infected with COVID-19. Close contacts living in congregate settings, where there is a much higher risk of disease spread, are required to quarantine the full 14-day period.
** A Negative test at least 5 days full days following exposure might allow close contact to end quarantine after 7 full days if no symptoms reported. See quarantine guidance for criteria in this special exception.
If symptoms develop during any quarantine timeframe, isolate and get tested. Learn more at the Pima County COVID-19 Resource page.
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If a student receives a positive COVID-19 test result:
- If a student has been on campus in the 48 hours prior to symptoms or an asymptomatic test date, contact tracing will be initiated by the Health Facilitator/School Nurse.
- The student must not return to school. Per CDC guidelines, individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 will have to isolate for at least 10 days. Please work with MUSD Health Services to determine the student’s return-to-school date.
- Parents/Guardians must notify the Attendance Clerk or School Health Office of the positive test result.
- If Parent/Guardian leaves a voicemail message, the School Health Office staff will return a call as soon as possible.
- The Attendance Clerk or School Health Office staff will notify the Site Administrator and Health Facilitator/School Nurse.
- The Health Facilitator/School Nurse will complete the required reporting form for notification to PCHD.
- The Health Facilitator/School Nurse and PCHD will contact Parents/Guardians for more information to help with Contact Tracing.
- MUSD recommends Parents/Guardians respond to phone calls/texts from Health Facilitator/School Nurse and PCHD.
- PCHD will notify close contacts of exposure and provide further guidance.
- MUSD will follow PCHD guidelines regarding confirmed COVID-19 cases.
- The student may be required to present medical clearance from a physician to return to school after a positive COVID-19 test result.
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Upon student's return to school:
- The student must go to the School Health Office when entering campus and before going to the classroom.
- The Health Office Staff will complete the “Return To School Clearance” form.
- If the student is cleared, the student may return to the classroom.
- The student will be given a pass which will indicate that health clearance has been given to return to school.
- If the student is not cleared, the Health Facilitator/School Nurse/Health Assistant will contact the Parents/Guardians.
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More on exposure, isolation and quarantine:
Exposure is defined as having been within 6 feet of a person infected with COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more, with or without a mask.
Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.
Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms.