• The Westchester Department of Health has defined contact in two ways:

  • “Close Contact” - being closer that 6ft for more than ten minutes cumulatively over 24 hours

  • “Proximate Contact”- sharing the same room (enclosed space) for more than ten minutes when unmasked. If an enclosed space is shared while masked then no quarantine is required unless definition of “close contact” is met. Here is the link to updated school guidance which changed the definition of “proximate contact”

    • If a shared space is larger than a regular classroom (gym, MPR etc.) and the contact is unmasked (ie. Lunch) then the students or staff at the same table or in immediate proximity (ie the desks surrounding the positive case) would meet the definition of proximate contact

    • The DOH will support the district designating a contact as proximate if it has reason to believe there are additional factors raising the concern for spread (these case would be determined in consultation with the District Physician)

• Either one of the contacts above would require a 10 day quarantine from the last date of contact

• Upon receipt of the information there is a positive student or staff the building staff informs the District office (Eric, Drew, or Thomas) and we implement our Positive Case Protocol. This includes:

  • Interviewing the affected family or staff member to determine any symptoms, testing dates, last day in school, and contacts with people that may not be caught by the infinite campus tracing program. (Infinite campus can identify all assigned staff and students by schedule)

    • We pay special attention to contacts like related services, contacts with non-instructional personnel, and personal contacts throughout the tracing window.

  • Contacting the Department of Health to report the case and confirm the contact tracing window, District plan for move to remote learning (if needed), discuss any individual specifics about the case in question, and determine if this case should be looked at from a school spread standpoint

  • Determining whether the contact tracing can be completed prior to the next in-person opportunity for instruction

  • Determining whether the staffing implications of the quarantines allow for continued in-person instruction

  • Implementing communications as follows:

    • Contact all affected staff by phone to to provide information on quarantine and answer any questions

    • Contact all affected families by email and/or phone to provide information on quarantine and answer any questions

    • After all affected families and staff are notified, District wide staff and the full community are informed through email (or email, phone, and text if a switch to remote instruction is needed)

• New York State Department of Health requires an individual on quarantine to avoid contact with others for 10 days from the last contact with a positive person

  • The quarantine lasts through the 10th day and individuals can return to normal life on the 11th day (link to State guidance here)

• Westchester’s Department of Health has determined the contact tracing “window” (time frame when contacts are mandated to quarantine) is different for symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals

  • For symptomatic individuals anyone in contact with the person 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms would be required to quarantine

  • For asymptomatic individuals anyone in contact with the person 48 hours prior to the testing date would be required to quarantine

• There are a few reasons that would cause either a building or the District to close

  • Mandated closure by the State

  • Short term closure to complete contact tracing (usually needed for a positive received late in the evening)

  • Staffing - when the required quarantines restrict our ability to safely staff in-person learning

  • Evidence of in-school spread - this type of closure would be done in consultation with our School Physician and the Department of Health (this type of closure could be done by the District or mandated by the DOH)

• The New York State Department of Health requires all positive cases to “isolate” for 10 days after the day they tested positive (asymptomatic) or the date of onset of symptoms (symptomatic)

Here is the link to instructions for isolation

• Immediately contact your building administration, Drew Patrick (203) 247-1141, or Eric Rauschenbach (917) 295-0691

• Please do not hesitate to contact us even if it is outside of work hours!