This COVID Protocol outlines the 1st semester COVID response in FTIS.  These are now outdated.  Please refer to our 2nd semester COVID Protocol for guidance effective on January 3, 2022.  Thank you!

Updated 08.11.21

Safety Protocol

Social distancing:

Individuals will maintain 3 feet, or the greatest distance possible, at all times. Cohort grouping will also be considered in some experiences.

Masking: 

All individuals must wear a mask regardless of vaccination status while indoors and while being transported by FTIS.  As the order relates to our schools, the following individuals are exempt from wearing face coverings:

• Any person with a disability, or a physical or mental impairment, that prevents them from safely wearing a face covering (mask exemption paperwork required from medical professional)

• Any person who is deaf or hard of hearing and are actively communicating or any person who is actively communicating with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing, and is able to maintain a safe distance of six feet from all individuals who are not members of that person’s household

• Any person who is seated and actively consuming food or beverage

• Any person who is obtaining a service that requires temporary removal of the face covering in order to perform the service

• Any person who is required to temporarily remove their face covering to confirm their identity or for security/screening purposes

• Any person who is giving a speech or broadcast to an audience and is able to maintain a safe distance of at least six feet from all individuals who are not members of the person’s household

• Any person who is actively engaged in exercise while indoors 

Temperature Screening: 

Temperature screening will take place randomly for non-symptomatic students and staff.

Sanitizing: 

All previous protocols will be in place to promote proper hand hygiene and following proper cleaning procedures.

Symptoms to Monitor

Symptoms include (but are not limited to) fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headaches, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

Close Contact

A close contact is someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for 15 minutes while the person was considered contagious.

Exception: In the K-12 indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes students who were at least >3 feet away from an infected student if both students were engaged in consistent and correct use of masks and other K-12 prevention strategies were in place.

(Source:  Department of Public Health and Northern Kentucky Health Department)

Quarantining Protocol

Guidance for people who are vaccinated:

If you have been fully vaccinated and have an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, you are not required to quarantine if you meet all of the following criteria:

• It has been 2 weeks or more since you were fully vaccinated (you received the 2nd dose in a 2-dose series or 1 dose of a single-dose vaccine)

• You have remained asymptomatic since the current COVID-19 exposure

If you do not meet all of the above criteria, you should continue to follow current quarantine guidance after exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

An unvaccinated individual’s quarantine will begin after their last contact with the person who is positive, even if this person is a household member.  There are three different ways you can quarantine as long as you have NO symptoms:

1. Quarantine for 14 days; especially if you are going to be around people that are high-risk for the virus: elderly, people with comorbidities, immunocompromised (Recommended)

OR ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

2. Quarantine for 10 days if you have NO symptoms

3. Quarantine for 7 days if you have a negative COVID test on or after day 5 and have NO symptoms

(Source:  Department of Public Health and Northern Kentucky Health Department)

Isolation

The person who is positive for COVID is considered recovered when the following conditions have been met: 

·      Fever-free for 1 day without fever-reducing medication, AND

·      Any symptoms experienced are improving, AND

·      It has been at least 10 days since their symptoms started (or since their test date if they had no symptoms).

(Source:  Department of Public Health and Northern Kentucky Health Department)

Additional Proactive Measures to Reduce the Spread of COVID:

●      Public gatherings (open houses or back to school) - All individuals must wear a mask regardless of vaccination status while indoors.

●      Masking Exemptions - If a student is unable to mask due to a medical reason, a waiver form signed by a medical provider may be submitted.  Once reviewed at the district level, exemptions may be granted.

●      Students with Severe Medical Conditions - Parents are encouraged to reach out to the building level leadership to discuss sensitive medical situations that are impacted by COVID.  Principals, teachers, and nurses will work to support individualized needs when masking isn’t universal (at elementary/6th grade lunch AND during the day at HMS/HHS)

●      Visitors - Schools will allow for limited visitors indoors at this time. All visitors will be required to mask while indoors.  No visitors will be able to eat lunch with the students, and no visitor will be granted access to the classroom setting unless the individual is collaborating with the students related to an educational experience. 

●      COVID Testing with Gravity - FTIS will continue to collaborate with Gravity Lab to provide COVID testing with same day results at no cost for those that are symptomatic or considered a close contact.  Please contact our school nurses to make arrangements.

●      Vaccination Clinic - The district will continue to host vaccination clinics after school hours.  Registration information will be communicated with parents when it becomes available.

●      Large Assemblies - Schools will reduce the amount of assemblies at the school level.

●      Athletic events - All coaches, athletes, and spectators will follow the most up to date guidance that is released by KHSAA including Return to Play Protocol. https://khsaa.org/resources/Covid19/CovidResumptionofSports/ApprovedVersion/kma-covid-rtp-algorithm.pdf

**The above protocol is based on current conditions and we could be more/less restrictive based on regional data**