Frequently Asked Questions
Why does CDC guidance keep changing?
CDC guidance changes because COVID-19 keeps changing and what we know about it continues to evolve. COVID-19 is still a new disease that CDC and others continue to study in order to provide the best guidance possible. CDC gives guidance based on the latest science to prevent and control disease, injury, and disability. All recommendations are based on available scientific data including outbreak investigations and tracking cases of COVID-19 in children. These investigations show, for example, that the Delta variant behaves differently from past variants of COVID-19. This means guidance will change as CDC learns more about what works best to reduce risk of COVID-19.
Do masks work?
Yes, masks work. They limit the spread of germs from one person to another by blocking potential virus particles from entering the air. They also help protect the person wearing the mask because the mask can help block that person from breathing in potential virus particles in the air. For masks to work best, students, teachers, and staff need to wear a well-fitting mask consistently and correctly. Consistent and correct mask use is especially important indoors and in crowded settings when physical distancing is difficult. CDC recommends all schools require universal masking.
Does wearing a mask for a long time pose any risks to my child?
No, wearing a mask does not increase risk from germs or bacteria, and does not increase carbon dioxide levels for children. It is important to store your child’s mask properly and wash it regularly to keep it clean. Consider having your child bring more than one mask to school to easily replace a dirty or wet mask with a clean one.
Will testing for COVID-19 cause my child pain?
No, it will not. Acceptable ways to test for COVID-19 have expanded since the beginning of the pandemic. Most tests use a simple nasal swab, which goes inside the lower nostril like picking your nose, and others use saliva taken from the mouth. You can ask your child’s school what method is used for their testing program so you can tell your child what to expect for their test.
What should I do if my child tests positive for COVID-19?
Contact your school to allow for contact tracing if the test happened outside of school. Make sure to isolate your child immediately and follow steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your household. This means your child should not go to school, socialize, or participate in any extracurricular activities, and you need to follow your school’s instructions for isolation. Ask your school about virtual learning options and about their current policies for when your child can return to school.
If I test positive for COVID-19, can my child still go to school?
If you or anyone in your household tests positive, your child should follow your school’s guidance for quarantine. If your child also tests positive, they should not go to school, even if they are not showing symptoms. They should follow your school’s guidance for isolation. Ask your school about virtual learning options during this time and for instructions on when your child can return to school.
What is the difference between quarantine and isolation?
You quarantine when you might have been exposed to COVID-19. This is because you might become infected with COVID-19 and could spread COVID-19 to others.
You isolate when you are already infected with COVID-19 and have tested positive, even if you don’t have symptoms. Isolation is used to separate people infected with COVID-19 from those who are not infected.
What does it mean if my child is identified by the school as a “close contact”?
This means your child was exposed to someone with COVID-19. And when your child is identified as a close contact, your child needs to follow testing and quarantine guidance from your school. Quarantine is a very important public health tool used to stop many kinds of infectious diseases from spreading.
My child was identified as a close contact and is NOT fully vaccinated – what should I do?
You should follow quarantine guidance provided by your school. CDC recommends a 14-day quarantine for unvaccinated close contacts before returning to normal activities, including in-person school and school activities. This is because your child can become infected with COVID-19 but may not develop the infection for up to 14 days. In fact, some data show that a person may spread COVID-19 before they show symptoms or even without symptoms.
If your child develops symptoms at any point during quarantine, they need to get tested and isolate immediately. Be sure to notify your school if this happens and reach out to your healthcare provider.
My child was identified as a close contact and is fully vaccinated or has recovered from COVID-19 within the past 3 months from testing positive – what should I do?
You should follow guidance for fully vaccinated close contacts provided by your school. CDC recommends that fully vaccinated people get tested after being exposed and monitor for any symptoms.
If your vaccinated child develops symptoms at any point, they need to get tested and isolate immediately – be sure to notify your school if this happens and reach out to your healthcare provider.
Should my child stay home if they show COVID-19 signs or symptoms?
Yes, they should stay home. They should also get tested for COVID-19. It is very important that your child not attend in-person school when they have signs and symptoms. Ask your school about remote learning options during quarantine and isolation. With symptoms, your child should also not gather in public places, play sports, participate in extracurricular activities, or socialize in-person with people who do not live in your household. This is also true if your child is showing any symptoms of other respiratory illnesses, such as the flu.
Getting tested for COVID-19 when you notice these types of signs and symptoms will also help with rapid contact tracing and prevent possible spread at school. If your child tests positive, they should still stay home and away from others for 10 days following the date that their symptoms started. This is because people can spread COVID-19 for a full 10 days from when they develop symptoms, even if they are feeling better. Let your school know and ask about their policies to determine when your child can return to in-person school.
What should I do if my child has symptoms at school?
You need to pick up your child as soon as possible and arrange for a COVID-19 test. It is very important that your child not attend in-person school when they have signs and symptoms.
Can my child participate in recess and physical education?
Yes, these active times during the school day help children learn and achieve as well as support their social, emotional, and mental health. Being outside is better than indoors, but when physical education and recess are held indoors, it is important to have good ventilation and for everyone to wear masks and maximize distance as much as possible. Ask your school about their ventilation, mask, and distancing policies during recess and physical education to stay informed about the risk to your child. In general, students, educators, and staff do not need to wear masks when participating in recess and physical education outdoors, unless they are going to be doing high contact or crowded activities.
Is it ok for my child to use the playground?
Yes, more is known about how long the virus stays on surfaces compared with last year. Kids can safely use playground equipment with just daily cleaning. Students, educators, and staff should wash their hands before and after use of any playground equipment. Cleaning and disinfection between every use of playground and physical education equipment is not needed.
Can my child share objects (such as art supplies, sports equipment) with other students?
Yes, but your child should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before, during, and after use of any shared materials. Cleaning and disinfection between every use of art supplies, sports equipment, music sheets, etc. is not needed.
Keeping hands clean and regularly cleaning surfaces helps prevent a variety of diseases and infections. Handwashing stations are recommended for students, educators, and staff to access whenever they may need to remove their mask, while sharing objects, after any coughing or sneezing, before and after eating, and after using the restroom.
My child says the school is opening windows during the day – does that reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading?
That is one of many ways to improve ventilation. Opening windows brings fresh air into the classroom and can reduce the number of virus particles in the air as long it does not become a safety or health risk to the students. Moving classes outside when weather permits, opening multiple doors, using child-safe fans, making changes to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) or air filtration systems, and keeping the ventilation system running all day—especially whenever students are gathering – are other ways to improve ventilation. This is why you may also see bus drivers opening or cracking windows a few inches to improve air circulation. If there’s good ventilation, there will be even lower risk if students are also wearing masks.