COVID-19 FAQs

If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, the school nurse will review who else in the building may have been a close contact. Everyone who is deemed a close contact will be notified that they were exposed. Close contacts will be asked to quarantine at home, starting on the date they were last exposed.

The school nurse will not disclose the name of the person who tested positive for COVID-19 or the details of exposure, to protect personal health information and reduce stigma related to illness in the school setting.

1. Keep your child home from school until he/she has a negative COVID-19 test result or 10 days have passed since the symptom(s) appeared.

   • Testing is not required, but highly recommended.

   • A negative test result is likely to shorten the time your child is required to stay home from school and a positive test result allows the school to confidentially inform close contacts of the need to quarantine.

2. Call the school to inform the school nurse of the illness (and the test results, if you have them).

3. If the symptoms are related to a chronic illness such as asthma or allergies, give the school nurse a doctor's note explaining the chronic illness symptoms.

The Municipality of Anchorage operates several free test sites. You do not need to make an appointment or talk to your medical provider before going to one of these sites.

1. Find a test site location on the web page linked above.

2. Pre-register online, if you are able. You can also fill out a paper form at the test site.

3. Arrive at the location to complete a COVID-19 test.

4. Wait 3-4 days. You results will be available in the web portal you registered through or you will be notified of negative test results via telephone.

Other tests sites operated by the State of Alaska, like the one at Ted Stevens International Airport, can be found here.

Notes:

• If you complete a COVID-19 test after experiencing illness symptoms, please continue to isolate from others while you wait for the results.

• If you complete a COVID-19 test after being a close contact, please continue to quarantine from others while you wait for the results. Even if you test negative on a COVID-19 test, you must complete the entire quarantine period, because you were a close contact. Your school nurse or healthcare provider can help you determine when to end quarantine, based on your unique situation.

If your child tests positive for COVID-19 please notify the school nurse.

• Your child should begin a 10-day isolation period at home to prevent the spread of illness to others.

• This 10-day period begins on the date your child tested positive for COVID-19 or the date illness symptoms began (whichever occurred sooner).

If your child feels sick:

• Rest, good nutrition, and hydration do wonders to help our bodies recover from illness!

• Here are some tips to keep sick kids comfortable while they recover.

• Reach out to your child's healthcare provider for guidance.

• The severity of COVID-19 symptoms can range from very mild to severe.

• For severe symptoms (difficulty breathing, confusion, blue face/lips, inability to stay awake) seek medical help as soon as possible.

Below is a list of general recommendation for a child who tests positive for COVID-19:

• Stay home except to get medical care.

• Monitor for illness symptoms.

• Have your child stay in a separate room from other household members, if possible.

• Have your child use a separate bathroom, if possible.

• Have your child avoid contact with other members of the household and pets.

• Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.

• Have your child wear a mask when around other people, if they are able to.

Retesting for COVID-19 after you tested positive in the past:

Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)...

"If you have recovered from your symptoms after testing positive for COVID-19, you may continue to test positive for three months or more without being contagious to others. For this reason, you should be tested [again] only if you develop new symptoms of possible COVID-19. Getting tested again should be discussed with your healthcare provider, especially if you have been in close contact with another person who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days."

If your child has recurring or ongoing symptoms related to an existing medical condition, contact their medical provider to request a statement that lists your child's common symptoms and the condition which causes them. Provide this note to the school nurse. Reasons a student may need an excuse note might include a chronic headaches or shortness of breath due to asthma.

A simple note signed by the child's medical provider will allow the school nurse to make an informed decision about if your child needs to go home from school due to illness symptoms. A medical provider note does not guarantee your child will be able to stay at school, but does prevent students who have chronic illness symptoms from being sent home unnecessarily. Your medical provider can fax this information to the school nurse at 742-0595.

If your child's chronic asthma or allergies require them to have emergency medications at school, please bring the nurse an Asthma Care Plan or Allergy Care Plan that has been filled out and signed by a doctor, as well as necessary medications with pharmacy labels.

The student with new onset illness symptoms will be asked to complete one of the following before returning to school:

1. Provide a medical provider note stating the illness symptoms are not related to COVID-19 AND

i. Illness symptoms are going away.

ii. No fever or elevated temperature above 100.4 F in the 24 hours before school return.

iii. No use of fever reducing medications, like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin), in the 24 hours before school return.

-OR-

2. Provide negative molecular (PCR) COVID-19 test results to the school nurse AND

i. Illness symptoms are going away.

ii. No fever or elevated temperature above 100.4 F in the 24 hours before school return.

iii. No use of fever reducing medications, like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin), in the 24 hours before school return.

-OR-

3. Stay at home for 10 days to complete a self-isolation period, starting the day the student was sent home from school AND

i. Illness symptoms are going away.

ii. No fever or elevated temperature above 100.4 F in the 24 hours before school return.

iii. No use of fever reducing medications, like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin), in the 24 hours before school return.

The options listed above follow the return-to-school recommendations set by the State of Alaska Smart Start 2020 guidance.

Free COVID-19 testing is offered at Begich for students present at school. Fill out this consent form and bring it to the school nurse if you'd like your middle schooler to be able to be tested at Begich if they develop symptoms during the school day.

Quarantine vs. Isolation

Quarantine

• 7-10 day period of time.

• Occurs if someone is considered a close contact of a person who tests positive for COVID-19.

• Allows a person to stay away from others and monitor themselves to see if they become ill after being exposed to the virus.

• When can I end quarantine?

Isolation

• 10 day period of time.

• Occurs if someone has illness symptoms.

• Allows the sick person to stay away from others during the time they are most likely to spread illness.

• When can I end isolation?

School Response to a Symptomatic Student

When a student begins to feel sick while at school, the teacher will share this information with the school nurse. The teacher will request that the student visit the school nurse. The school nurse will don PPE (face mask, face shield, gown, and gloves) and provide general wellness assessment.

Illness Symptoms Caused by a Chronic Health Condition

If the student's illness symptoms are cause by a chronic health condition that is validated by a medical provider note given to the school nurse, for example asthma or allergies, then the student will likely remain at school. The nurse will provide treatment to alleviate symptoms and the student may return to the classroom.

Unexplained or New Onset Illness Symptoms

If the student's illness symptoms are not related to an existing health condition and have started recently, the school nurse will call the parent or guardian to pick up the child from school. Students with unexplained illness symptoms will wait in an individual rest area; this prevents the spread of illness. There are 5 locations in the nurse's office for symptomatic students to wait for parent / guardian pick-up. Each area has a spot to sit or lie down and allows a student to be physically distanced from others while they wait.

*See the Returning to School After Illness section below for guidance on when a student may come back to school after being sick.

Students who were a close contact can return to school after they complete one of the following requirements:

1. Finish the entire 10-day quarantine period at home.

i. Have experienced no signs of illness.

ii. No fever or elevated temperature above 100.4 F.

iii. No use of fever reducing medications, like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin), in the 24 hours before school return

-OR-

2. Finish a 7-day quarantine period at home AND have a negative molecular (PCR) test result.

i. The test must be completed on day 5 or 6 of the 7-day quarantine period.

ii. Have experienced no signs of illness.

iii. No fever or elevated temperature above 100.4 F.

iv. No use of fever reducing medications, like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin), in the 24 hours before school return

Notes:

• A medical provider excuse does not end or reduce the quarantine period requirement.

• If you complete a COVID-19 test, 5-6 days after you were last exposed to COVID-19, please continue to quarantine from others while you wait for the results.

• You may return to school or work after completing one of the options above, but continue to monitor for symptoms or illness in the 14 days after you were last exposed to COVID-19.

• If illness symptoms develop during the quarantine period, please contact your school nurse. Developing illness symptoms during the quarantine period may extend the amount of time someone needs to stay home, even if they have a negative test result.

It is recommended to be tested for COVID-19 if:

• A person has any new or unexplained illness symptoms, even minor ones like a runny nose, congestion, fatigue, etc.

• It has been 5-6 days since a person was last exposed and identified as a close contact of someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Testing is most reliable if completed on the 5-6th day following viral exposure.

• A person traveled outside of Alaska for greater than 72 hours.

Diagnostic Tests

Diagnostic tests are used to see if you have an active infection. Rapid versions offer same day results or laboratory-based versions offer results in 3-4 days.

1. Molecular

   1. • Sometimes called a PCR test.

      • Most reliable form of testing.

      • Takes a sample in the nose, throat, or mouth.

      • Looks for the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

2. Antigen

   1. • Less reliable form of testing. Results may need to be confirmed with a molecular type of test.

      • Takes a sample in the nose.

      • Looks for protein from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Antibody Tests

Antibody tests are used to see if you may have been infected in the past. This test may take a week or longer to get results.

2. 1. • Cannot determine if you are actively infected or contagious.

      • Takes a sample through a blood draw or finger stick.

      • Looks for certain antibodies, a product of your immune system, that develop after you are exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Click here for more detailed information on COVID-19 testing.