Covid-19
There are two COVID-19 call centers:
1) 1-800-962-1253: For health-related and clinical issues, such as when to seek medical attention and proper steps to take if exposed
2) 211: For information about how to stay safe, financial assistance, unemployment, donations, food, and other non-medical needs
3) COVID19.nj.gov website: Testing sites, case counts by county, and other resources
Frequently asked Questions
What is the difference between Isolation and Quarantine?
(Two different Timeframes)
Isolation: For People Who are Ill, 5 days
Isolation refers to the separation of persons who have a specific infectious illness from those who are healthy and the restriction of their movement to stop the spread of that illness. Isolation allows for the focused delivery of specialized health care to people who are ill, and it protects healthy people from getting sick. People in isolation may be cared for in their homes, in hospitals, or designated healthcare facilities. In most cases, isolation is voluntary; however, many levels of government (federal, state, and local) have basic authority to compel the isolation of sick people to protect the public.
Quarantine: For People Who have been Exposed but are not Ill, 5-14 days depending on community transmission
Quarantine refers to the separation and restriction of movement of persons who, while not yet ill, have been exposed to an infectious agent and therefore may become infectious. Quarantine of exposed persons is a public health strategy, like isolation, that is intended to stop the spread of infectious disease. Quarantine is medically very effective in protecting the public from disease.
States generally have the authority to declare and enforce quarantine within their borders. This authority varies widely from state to state, depending on state laws. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), through its Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, also is empowered to detain, medically examine, or conditionally release persons suspected of carrying certain communicable diseases. This authority derives from section 361 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 264), as amended.
*If your child is a close contact, it is your choice whether or not you want to quarantine your child. Your child may attend school as long as they are not exhibiting covid like symptoms. It is still recommended to monitor your child for the full 10 days and wear a mask in public settings.
*Household close contacts do not need to quarantine, not unless they have covid like symtpoms.
*If your child tests positive, it is a 5 day isolation from when symptoms started. They may return only if fever free x 24 hours without fever reducing medication and symptoms improved. It is recommended they wear a well fitted mask on days 6-10 including outdoor recess.
What are the Signs & Symptoms of Covid -19?
**Students who exhibit TWO or more symptoms:
-Fever or Chills
-Cough
-Nasal Congestion or Runny Nose
-New loss of Taste or Smell
-Sore Throat
-Shortness of Breath or Difficulty Breathing
-Diarrhea
-Nausea or Vomiting
-Stomachache
-Tiredness
-Headache
-Muscle or Body Aches
-Poor Appetite
- Will need to either have a negative COVID-19 (molecular or antigen) test done or a doctor's note with an alternative diagnosis will be accepted to be able to return to school. Must show documentation. The student needs to be fever-free x 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, and improvement of symptoms.
*If your child has ONE of the following symptoms:
- A new-onset cough that you cannot attribute to another health condition.
-Shortness of breath.
-Difficulty breathing.
-The new loss of taste or smell.
* Students who only have a fever with no other symptoms are excluded for 24 hours fever free without fever-reducing medication and symptoms have improved.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 in children are fever and cough.
The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar in adults and children and can look like other common illnesses, like colds, strep throat, or allergies. The overlap between COVID-19 symptoms and other common illnesses means that many people with symptoms of COVID-19 may actually be ill with something else. This is even more likely in young children, who typically have multiple viral illnesses each year. There is a wide range of symptoms: mild-severe. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 in children are fever and cough, but children may have any of these signs or symptoms of COVID-19:
What you can do
Monitor your child for COVID-19 symptoms every day
Pay particular attention to:
Fever (temperature 100.4 °F or higher)
Sore throat
New uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing (for a child with chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, see if there is a change from their usual cough)
Diarrhea, vomiting, or stomachache
New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever
Keep track of who your child comes into close contact with
*Close Contact: Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.
Take precautions to protect your child if you are sick with COVID-19
If you are sick with COVID-19, you can take precautions to help prevent spreading the virus to your child and others.
Keep your child home and call their healthcare provider if your child gets sick
If your child has symptoms and may have been exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 or has been in an area where the virus is spreading,
Keep your child home
Call your child’s healthcare provider to discuss whether your child needs to be evaluated or tested for COVID-19. If you suspect that your child or someone they know has COVID-19 or has come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19, visit the Coronavirus self-checker. This online tool will help you decide when to seek testing or medical care for your child.
Notify your child’s school that your child is sick. Also inform the school if your child has had a COVID-19 test and what the result is, if available.
How do I report a Covid-19 test result to the district?
If anyone in the school or a student or staff’s household tests positive for Covid-19, this needs to be self-reported to the district immediately. The families should call 609-298-2037 ext 2010 or email bpigott@mansfieldschooll.com or their building principal immediately.
Review your child’s school (or other childcare facilities) policies related to when a child who has been sick can return
Bring your child back to school or other in-person activities only after they can safely be around others
If your child is sick but a healthcare provider tells you that your child doesn’t have COVID-19, your child may still need to stay home for some time. Before bringing your child back to school or other in-person activities, discuss your child’s illness with their healthcare provider and review your child’s school (or other childcare facilities) policies related to when a child who has been sick can return.
In a medical emergency, call 911 or bring your child to the emergency department.
Do not delay seeking emergency care for your child because you are worried about the spread of COVID-19. Emergency departments have infection prevention plans to protect you and your child from getting sick with COVID-19 if your child needs emergency care.
If your child is showing any of these emergency warning signs, seek emergency medical care immediately.
Trouble breathing
Pain or pressure in the chest that doesn’t go away
New confusion
Can’t wake up or stay awake when not tired
Bluish lips or face
This list does not include all possible symptoms.
Call your child’s healthcare provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
Limitations of Symptom Screenings as Part of a School Reopening Strategy
Symptom screenings will fail to identify some students who have SARS-CoV-2 infection. Symptom screenings do not help identify individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection who are asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic (they have not developed signs or symptoms yet but will later). Others may have symptoms that are so mild, they may not notice them. In fact, children are more likely than adults to be asymptomatic or to have only mild symptoms. The exact percentage of children with SARS-COV-2 infection who are asymptomatic is still unknown, but recent large studies have suggested that around 16% of children with SARS-CoV-2 infection do not develop symptoms. This means that even when schools have symptom screenings in place, some students with SARS-CoV-2 infection, who can potentially transmit the virus to others, will not be identified.
Symptom screenings will identify only that a person may have an illness, not that the illness is COVID-19. Many of the symptoms of COVID-19 are also common in other childhood illnesses like the common cold, the flu, or seasonal allergies. The table below illustrates some of the overlaps between the symptoms of COVID-19 and other common illnesses.
Table. Many symptoms of COVID-19 are also present in common illnesses
Symptoms of COVID-19
Strep Throat
Common Cold
Flu
Asthma
Seasonal Allergies
Fever or chills
Cough
Sore throat
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Nausea or Vomiting
Diarrhea
Congestion or Runny Nose
Muscle or body aches
Why is a Face Covering needed (Face Mask)?
Wearing face coverings is an important step to help slow the spread of COVID-19 when combined with everyday preventive actions and social distancing in public settings. CDC suggests that all school reopening plans address adherence to behaviors that prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Wear your Mask Correctly
Wash your hands before putting on your mask
Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin
Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face
Make sure you can breathe easily
CDC does not recommend the use of masks or cloth masks for source control if they have an exhalation valve or vent or a mesh mask.
Where can I go to be tested?
The Burlington County Health Department has a list of local testing sites. Please click here to review the sites.
COVID-19 Testing Sites
Covid 19 Vaccination
Covid 19 Vaccine
Pfizer Vaccine is now being offered to children ages 5-11.
To Pre-register for vaccine click the link below.
https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine
We encourage you to download the COVID-19 Alert NJ App to assist with exposure notifications.
With guidance from the local health department, schools will be responsible for notifying parents/guardians and staff of the close contact exposure while maintaining confidentiality.
We will be updating this site periodically, please let us know if you have any questions and or concerns. The information we share comes directly from the CDC and the local health department.
Yours in Good Health,
Grace Porrini RN (MTES) & Tara Kowalczyk RN (JH)
200 Mansfield Road East
Columbus, NJ 08022
Phone: 609-298-2037
Fax: 609-298-5812
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