Douglas County School District is in the process of finalizing details on our COVID-19 testing program. When the plan is finalized, we will release additional details. The information below is included in Declaration of Emergency Directive 048.
Douglas County School District, regardless of county transmission level, must implement a regular COVID-19 testing program for students, staff, and volunteers, including but not limited to coaches, leaders, and advisors, who are not fully vaccinated and who are involved in travelling to other schools or venues outside of Douglas County for athletics and activities such as games, tournaments, competitions, concerts, meets, or similar events.
Students, staff, and volunteers will be required to verify their COVID-19 vaccination status to be exempt from the COVID-19 testing program.
Testing must occur at least once per week. If a student, staff member, or volunteer tests positive for COVID-19, current CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine must be followed.
COVID-19 testing requirements apply to students, staff and volunteers involved in athletics activities. The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) will be required to promulgate a mandatory COVID-19 testing and mitigation plan for full-contact and close-contact sports. The plan MUST require at a minimum weekly testing of coaches, staff and athletes participating in these sports who are not fully vaccinated. The plan must include rules and guidance for the use of face coverings by student athletes while both actively and not actively participating in the sporting activity. o Prior to the commencement of competitions of full-contact and close-contact sports between separate schools, the individual schools must implement the NIAA testing and mitigation plan and begin the weekly testing protocols required by such. CDC guidance provides that people who are fully vaccinated do not need to participate in screening testing. However, testing should be made available to fully vaccinated individuals participating in extracurricular and athletic activities.
The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recommends that testing of all those that are unvaccinated, both staff and students, occur at least weekly to be effective. Douglas County School District is working with the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to develop the district’s testing plan. More information will be forthcoming, including an option for students and staff that are not part of a group required to test due to travel, to opt in to weekly testing.