Contact Tracing, Isolation and Quarantine Procedures

Contact tracing is another health and safety preventive measure to slow down the spread of COVID-19 and other contagious diseases. It helps to protect the community by:

• Letting people know that they may be exposed to COVID-19 and should monitor their health for signs and symptoms of COVID- 19;

• Helping people who may have been exposed to COVID-19 to get tested; and,

• Asking people to self-isolate if they have COVID-19 or self-quarantine if they are close contact (cdc.gov).

On this note, CSA shall adopt contact tracing strategies as recommended by DOH and LGU’s contact tracing team if a confirmed case or outbreak is detected. To help facilitate contact tracing, CSA shall:

• Keep daily records of attendance of all individuals within the school buildings. These will be kept updated and available for use when contact tracing is needed.This will be shared to DOH or LGU’s contact tracing team if a confirmed case or outbreak is detected in school.

• See to it that classes will be grouped together so that students/pupils’ contacts will be limited only to their classmates, teachers, and other support personnel assigned to the classrooms or other school spaces. ● Restrict non-essential visitors to the campus.

• Enjoin the use of online or phone meetings and conferences with parents/guardians and outside agencies to lessen the possibility of close contact with COVID 19 cases.

If a suspect, probable or confirmed COVID-19 case is detected in school, CSA will implement strategies similar to the suggested protocol by Philippine Academy of Physicians in School Health, Inc. (http://papshi.com/covid.html ).

When there is a possible detection of a COVID 19 case in the school campus and in the area where it belongs, CSA, through the directive of the RCTF and the approval of the Rector, shall:

a. Implement a 24-hour granular lockdown for disinfection of areas where:

• There is a suspected, probable, or confirmed case.

• There is a violation of or instances of non-compliance to minimum health and safety protocols.

b. Implement school lockdown when:

• There is a change in the alert level in the Dasmariñas Village.

• There is a change in the number of community transmission and quarantine risk classification.

• DepEd directs a school lockdown or LGU declares a lockdown.

c. Resume face-to-face classes after a lockdown when the school has: ○ Completed contact tracing,

• Completed disinfection activities,

• Confirmed no cases within 14 days,

• Confirmed a low to no community transmission, and

• Confirmed a minimal risk classification from the LGU.

d. Apply virtual academy setup during the lockdown period and revert to the implementation of the return-to-campus plan once it is lifted.

A participant (personnel, student) who is exposed to a COVID case may be allowed to return to school for in-person classes or work after getting a clearance from the Health Services Department. Below are the initial requirements to be able to get a clearance:

For close contact regardless of a negative result in his/her viral test:

a. If fully vaccinated, s/he must have completed a 7-day quarantine period with no COVID 19 symptoms.

b. If unvaccinated or with incomplete vaccination, s/he must have completed a 14-day quarantine period with no COVID 19 symptoms.

For a suspected, probable or confirmed case (vaccinated or not):

c. If asymptomatic, s/he must have completed a 10-day isolation from the first viral diagnostic test (RT-PCR Test) and has remained asymptomatic.

d. If with mild to moderate symptoms, s/he must have completed a 10-day isolation from the onset of the first symptoms or first viral diagnostic test (RT-PCR), symptoms have improved, and has been afebrile for at least 24 hours without medications.

e. If had severe and critical conditions, s/he must have completed a 21- day isolation from the onset of the first symptoms or first viral test (RT-PCR), symptoms have improved, and has been afebrile for at least 24 hours without medications.

For immunocompromised, RT-PCR testing is required:

f. If positive, s/he has consulted an Infectious Disease Specialist and secured a medical clearance.

g. if negative, he/she has been discharged from isolation. Medical certification or repeat testing is not necessary for immunocompetent individuals, provided that a licensed doctor certifies or clears the patient.

For final screening, the HSD might also require a RT-PCR negative result, and medical certificate and clearance.Other requirements: Medical certificate and clearance.