Testing

Testing:

Health Checks

Parents/guardians and staff members will be provided resources to educate them regarding the careful observation of symptoms of COVID-19 and health screening that must be conducted each morning before coming to school. Parents/guardians and school staff will be instructed that any student or staff member with a fever of 100°F or greater and/or symptoms of possible COVID-19 virus infection should not be present in school. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) keep an up to date list of symptoms of Coronavirus on its website. This list is not all-inclusive as some individuals may display other symptoms or none at all. As of 7/13/2020, the following are listed as the most common symptoms of COVID-19:

  • Fever or chills (100°F or greater);

  • Cough;

  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing;

  • Fatigue;

  • Muscle or body aches;

  • Headache;

  • New loss of taste or smell;

  • Sore throat;

  • Congestion or runny nose;

  • Nausea or vomiting; and/or

As well, we will work with the staff to observe students or other staff members for signs of any type of illness, such as:

  • Flushed cheeks;

  • Rapid or difficulty breathing (without recent physical activity);

  • Fatigue, and/or irritability; and

  • Frequent use of the bathroom.

Students and staff exhibiting these signs with no other explanation for them will be sent to the school health office for an assessment by the school nurse. If a school nurse is not available, the school may contact the parent/guardian to come pick up their ill child or send the staff member home. Health screenings, including daily temperature checks and completion of a screening questionnaire, are required for staff, contractors, vendors, and visitors. Students are required to have a daily temperature check and periodic completion of a screening questionnaire. Anyone who has a temperature of 100°F or greater or has a positive response to the screening questionnaire will be isolated from others and sent home immediately. Students will be supervised in the isolated area while awaiting transport home. We will refer such persons to a healthcare provider and provide resources on COVID-19 testing.

Students and staff are required to notify their school when they develop symptoms or if their answers to the questionnaire change during or outside school hours. We will set up a means to collect this information.

Staff is asked to complete the required screenings before arrival at school, and parents/guardians are asked to screen their child before sending them to school. We understand and will communicate to parents/guardians that screening by the parent/ guardian before school is preferred in lieu of temperature checks and symptom screening being performed after arrival to school. Screening of students includes a daily temperature check and periodic completion of a screening questionnaire.

A screening questionnaire may be used to determine whether an individual has:

  • knowingly been in close or proximate contact in the past 14 days with anyone who has tested positive through a diagnostic test for COVID-19 or who has or had symptoms of COVID-19;

  • tested positive through a diagnostic test for COVID-19 in the past 14 days;

  • experienced any symptoms of COVID-19, including a temperature of greater than 100.0°F in the past 14 days: and/or

  • has, in the past 14 days, traveled internationally or from a state with widespread community transmission of COVID-19 per the New York State Travel Advisory issued by the NYSDOH on June 24, 2020.

Per NYSDOH, schools are prohibited from keeping records of student, faculty, staff, and visitor health data (e.g., the specific temperature data of an individual), but are permitted to maintain records that confirm individuals were screened and the result of such screening (e.g., pass/fail, cleared/not cleared).