As we continue to try to navigate through the challenges of the coronavirus and the beginning of a new school year, we want to share information on how certain situations will be managed. Hopefully, knowing how the process works and how information is shared will make events and actions more clear. The overall goal is to keep students as safe as possible, while allowing them to have as close to a traditional classroom/learning environment as possible.
The Estill County School System works extremely closely with the Estill County Health Department. There is a constant open communication between both to achieve the best care and management of any and all coronavirus cases or situations. The information provided below explains how the process and decisions are made. These are all based on guidance from the CDC, KDPH and other health agencies.
Student or staff tests positive for Covid-19 If a student or staff member tests positive, we ask them to notify the school as soon as possible. They must remain at home and follow the guidance from their doctor and/or the health department. The school will follow guidance from the health department and assist in any contact tracing efforts. The positive case person will need to stay in self-isolation for at least 10 days and until at least 24 hours have passed with no fever and improvement in other symptoms. The guidance for these steps will be provided by the physician and/ or theEstill County Health Department.
What does it mean to quarantine? Being told to quarantine means you have been identified as a close contact with someone who has Covid-19. People who are fully vaccinated do not need NOT need to be quarantined, unless they have symptoms. Quarantine means you will need to self isolate at home for 10 full days from the last contact with the infected person. This means you will not be able to attend school, church, sports, outdoor activities etc…
Failure to follow this order can result in legal proceedings against the individual or in the case of a minor child, action can be taken against the parents or legal guardian.
Protocol for Contact Tracing ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS (e.g., student has self-contained classroom through the day):
MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL (e.g., no single contained classroom):
BUSES
What is a Close contact? Close contacts are identified as students or staff that have been within either a 3 foot or 6 foot distance (depending on criteria determined by the CDC) of the positive person for a collective 15 minutes. This is the criteria considered when deciding whether a person will need to quarantine. Again, this determination is made with guidance and direction from our local health department and based on information from the CDC.
Current guidance from CDC and KDPH for students or staff identified as close contacts need to be quarantined for 10 days and are encouraged to test after 3-5 days or if symptoms occur. Testing earlier does not allow enough time for the viral load to be measured if present.
If a vaccinated person is exposed to covid and would be considered a close contact, we are asking that a mask be worn by the close contact for the duration of 10 days after exposure to the positive person. This person is NOT required to quarantine unless symptoms were present. It is also recommended by the CDC that vaccinated close contacts take a covid test 5 days after exposure.
Helpful Information
The school district and health department will continue to follow all established protocols concerning this issue, and if any major changes occur, these guidelines will be revised.
August 21, 2012