SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS

• If you have 2 or more low risk OR any high risk symptoms of Covid-19 stay home from school and contact your healthcare provider, and pursue covid-19 testing.

• High Risk Symptoms: Fever (100.4F or higher), Cough, Shortness of Breath, Difficulty Breathing, Chills, Sore Throat, Loss of Taste or Smell

• Low Risk Symptoms: Headache, Muscle Aches, Runny Nose/Congestion, Nausea/Vomiting/Diarrhea

EXPOSURE TO COVID-19

In accordance with the updated Standard Operating Procedures, because RSU 21 enforces universal masking, close contacts are not required to quarantine from school as long as they remain asymptomatic.

Community Quarantine for 5 days is advised if

• You are not fully vaccinated

• Youa are partially vaccinated

• You are 18 years of age or older, have not received a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine AND you completed the primary series of Moderna/Pfizer vaccine more than 5 months ago or Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than 2 months ago.

Maine DOE Pre-Screening Tool

Type of testing and documentation required for re-entry to school after illness is subject to change. Please touch base with your school nurse for more info.

INDIVIDUALS WITH 1 LOW RISK SYMPTOM

• May return to school 24 hours after symptoms are improving (pending no additional symptoms occur and there is no known exposure to Covid-19)

• Testing is not required

• Documentation is not required

INDIVIDUALS WITH 2 OR MORE LOW RISK OR ANY HIGH RISK SYMPTOMS

• Must be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and symptoms must be improving

• Student must have completed a 10 day quarantine from onset of symptoms if opting not to test or no alternative diagnosis is identified

• If tested or seen by the healthcare provider documentation of either a Negative Covid-19 PCR/Molecular Test or Alternate Diagnosis from the healthcare provider have been submitted to and verified by the school nurse.

• Individuals who are participating in pooled testing who have a negative pharmacy/clinician administered Antigen test may return to school when symptoms are improving.

MAAP Evaluation of Symptomatic Child Algorithm

MOLECULAR TESTING

PCR Testing (RT-PCR)

• Most accurate test and gold standard test

• Results are available in 1-3 days

Rapid Molecular Test (Abbott IDNow)

• Results available in 30 minutes

ANTIGEN TESTING

Sofia, Binax Now

• Antigen testing is not recommended for asymptomatic testing of children unless used as part of a surveillance program with an ongoing, scheduled testing plan done in consultation with the Maine CDC

• May be used for screening symptomatic patients within the first 5-7 days of illness.

• Less sensitive than molecular tests.

• Negative tests should be followed up with PCR or repeat antigen testing in 2-3 days

For Information on accesting a Covid-19 test please visit the following sites Maine.Gov Covid-19 Testing or Get Tested Covid-19

PCR/Molecular Test is required for individuals who are NOT participating in pooled testing

Pharmacy/Clinician Rapid Antigen Test accepted for symptomatic individuals who ARE participating in pooled testing.

*Home Antigen Tests are Not Accepted*

What happens when There is a Positive Pool?

• This means that one of the individuals in the pool is presumed positive for Covid-19

• Follow-up Binax Now Antigen Testing is performed at school to identify and isolate the positive case

• If a positive case is identified the positive case is isolated and contact tracing occurs. If a positive case is not identified on initial follow-up testing a 2nd round of testing is performed.

What if my child misses pooled testing?

• Pooled testing is intended as surveillance testing and exemption from quarantine is dependent on participation.

• If your child misses pooled testing they will be treated as if they did not pool test this week and may be required to quarantine or test if they are identified as a close contact

• We recommend ensuring that your healthy child is present for pooled testing days

Can Pooled Testing be Used if My Child is Symptomatic?

• Pooled testing is NOT intended for screening symptomatic students for Covid-19

• Symptomatic students should remain at home and pursue an individual Covid-19 test and/or evaluation by a healthcare provider

What if my child is sent home with symptoms on a day that pooled testing occurred?

• If your child was sent home sick on a day where pooled testing occurred and the pool test is negative the nurse will determine based on clinical presentation whether or not this can be used to clear a student for return

• If your child was not seen by the nurse for illness on the day of pooled testing or symptoms develop after pooled testing occured individual testing will be required.

Positive Cases

• Notify the school as soon as possible

• Be prepared to provide the following information when notifying the school

  • • Name of Positive Student

    • Date of Symptom Onset

    • Date of Positive Test (Swab Date)

    • History of Exposure to Covid-19

    • Transportation Status/Bus Number

    • Participation in School Sponsored Activities/Sports/Academic Programming

    • Names and schools of any siblings who attend school in RSU21

• Notify your primary care provider if testing was not performed by their office.

• Isolate for 5 days from symptom onset or positive test (swab date) depending on symptom status at time of diagnosis

• For more information on isolation please see the refer to the following handout What is Isolation

• Individuals must complete the 5 day isolation period regardless of whether they are symptomatic or not when diagnosed

• Individuals may be released from isolation on days 6-10 pending that their symptoms are improving and/or resolved, they have been fever free for 24 hours withou the use of fever-reducing medication, and if tested on day 5 of isolation with an Antigen Test that their Antigen Test is negative.

• If a person was asymptomatic when they tested positive and develops symptoms during their isolation isolate for 5 days from symptom onset

• If an individual tests positive on a day 5 antigen test they should isolate for another 5 days (10 days total)

• The school nurse will provide you with a tentative end isolation date for the positive student. Please confirm this with the CDC and notify the school nurse of any discrepancies.

• Testing for Covid-19 in the 90 days post positive Covid-19 laboratory test. If you develop symptoms of illness consistent with Covid-19 it is recommended that you consult with your primary care provider.

What is a Close Contact?

• A close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes (cumulatively in a day), or having unprotected direct physical contact with a person with confirmed Covid-19 during their infectious period.

• The infectious period is considered the 2 days prior to symptoms onset if the positive case was symptomatic or date of positive test (swab date) if the positive case was asymptomatic when diagnosed.

• Quarantine requirements will vary and will depend on the source of exposure, vaccination status of the individual, participation in pooled testing, and physical distancing from the positive case in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

Quarantine Guidance for Community Exposures

• Unvaccinated Individuals must quarantine for 5 days from last contact with the positive case. Testing is recommended 5 days after exposure.

• Vaccinated Individuals do NOT need to quarantine. Testing is recommended 5 days after exposure.

• For more information on Quarantine please see the following documents What is Quarantine , Ending Quarantine and Return to Work if You are Exposed to Covid-19 and Quarantine Guidance for Vaccinated Close Contacts

In accordance with the updated Standard Operating Procedures contact tracing is optional in all schools. RSU 21 is not performign contact tracing in our schools. Please follwo the guidance below for com

Close Contacts and Quarantine

• When it comes to school related exposures not all close contacts will be required to quarantine.

• The need to quarantine will be determined based on physical distance from positive case, vaccination status, and participation in pooled testing in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP.

Unvaccinated Individuals Exposed at School

• Pooled Testing

• Do not need to quarantine from school or school sponsored activities

• Do need to quarantine in the community

• Do not need to pursue individual testing as long as they remain asymptomatic and do not miss their next pooled testing day

• Not Pooled Testing

• Individuals < 3 feet from positive case (in class) or < 6 feet (bus/cafeteria) will be required to quarantine from school, school sponsored activities, and in the community.

• Individuals > 3 feet from the positive case not need to quarantine from school but will need to quarantine from school sponsored activities and the community.

• Testing is recommended as soon as possible after being identified as close contact and if negative again in 5-7 days

Vaccinated Individuals Exposed at School

• Do not need to quarantine from school, school sponsored activities or the community

• Testing is recommended 5-7 days after exposure

Contact Tracing is no longer being performed in RSU 21 schools. The District and schools will continue to notify parent/guardians/staff of positive cases.

Previous Contact Tracing Process Noted Below

• Positive Case Notification: School is notified or made aware of the positive case by the parent/guardian or CDC

• Positive Case Reporting: The school nurse reports the positive case to the Maine DOE/Maine CDC

• Contact Tracing: The school nurse and building administrators work together to review necessary information and idenitfy close contacts

• Information specific to the close contact including physical distance from positive case in various settings, participation in pooled testing, and vaccination status are reviewed and used to determine which students require quarantine from school and/or the community.

• Close Contact Notification: Once close contacts are identified, the parent/guardian will receive notification via email that their student was identified as a close contact with specific information regarding whether or not the student needs to quarantine. If your child is identified as a close contact and is required to quarantine the school will reach out via phone to notify you and ask that you pick up your child from school to begin their quarantine if possible.

• Contact Tracing Info Submitted to CDC: Information for close contacts who are not vaccinated and who are not enrolled in pooled testing will be shared with the Maine CDC Contact Tracing Team and will be Enrolled in Sara Alert

• District Notification of Positive Case(s): A district-wide notification regarding the positive case will be sent out via email to all parents/guardians

mRNA Vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna)

• 2 dose vaccine series

• The Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccine is currently approved for individuals 5 years of age and older

• The Moderna Covid-19 Vaccines are currently approved for ages 18 and older

Viral Vector Vaccine (Johnson & Johnson)

• 1 dose vaccine

• Approved for ages 18 and older

Fully Vaccinated is defined as 14 days after 2nd dose of mRNA vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna) or 1st dose of a viral vector (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine

Vaccine Finder

• Allows you to locate a Covid-19 Vaccine near you.

FDA Covid-19 Booster Dose Information

• Recently updated FDA guidance regarding Covid-19 booster doses

Please submit a copy of your child's covid-19 immunization card to your child's school once they are fully vaccinated