COVID-19 Information
COVID-19: Quarantine and Testing Policy
*****Updated August 26, 2023*****
Please take every step you can to reduce the risk of Covid exposure to the THH community.
If you have had a known exposure to Covid please:
Contact the Site Director and Executive Director to find out your protocol. Do NOT attend school until you are cleared by staff to do so.
If you reach out outside of open hours, we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Take a home test and let us know your results. We have some home tests available if you need one.
Review the information below.
Quarantine and Testing Guidelines
Exposure- Infectious Period & Close Contact:
The infectious window for Covid-19, the time in which someone can transmit the virus to others, begins 2 days prior to symptom onset, or test date if the person does not have symptoms. The person will continue to be infectious for at least 5 days after symptom onset. The CDC’s definition of a close contact is below:
What counts as close contact?
You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more
You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19
You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them)
You shared eating or drinking utensils
They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you
*Please note close contact is about proximity. You can be a close contact whether or not masks were worn, or the exposure occurred indoors versus outdoors.
Please note, guidance has recently changed regarding isolation and quarantine.
Positive Cases- Isolation Protocol:
Anyone who has tested positive - they should stay home and isolate for a minimum of 5 days, beginning the day after their symptom onset (or the day after their positive test date, if no symptoms).
Example:
Day 0 = 1/4 (symptom onset or test date)
Day 5 = 1/9 (last full day of isolation if symptoms not present or resolving AND a diagnostic specimen* collected on day 5 or later tests negative)
If unable to test or choosing not to test, and symptoms are not present or are resolving, isolation can end after day 10.
If fever is present, isolation should be continued until fever resolves.
If symptoms, other than fever, are not resolving continue to isolate until symptoms are resolving or until after day 10.
Day 6-10 = 1/10-1/14 (wear a well-fitted N95 or KN95 mask around others if released after day 5)*
Day 10 = 1/14 (last full day of isolation if ineligible for earlier release)
*After ending isolation (no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and symptoms are improving), confirmed cases may remove their mask sooner than Day 10 if they have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart. If antigen test results are positive, the person may still be infectious and should continue wearing a mask and wait at least one day before taking another test.
For nappers: If you are released after day 5, and are attending school with a well-fitted N95 or KN95 mask, your child will have to go home during rest time if they sleep at school. Since children are unmasked while sleeping, we are trying to keep the other nappers all clear. You can still attend the morning program or ask your site director about your child skipping nap during this time.
Once you contract Covid, you would be considered recovered after you complete the isolation period. You would be exempt from quarantine for any future exposures for 3 months after infection. If you are exposed again in 3 months from now, you would need to quarantine again.
THH School Protocol if your child tests positive:
Contact the Executive Director right away or at least within 24 hours.
For our county health report, please let us know:
Your child's first and last name
Your child's date of birth
Date of symptom onset (if symptoms present) and date of positive test result
First and last name of a parent contact
Parent contact phone number
Close Contacts- Quarantine Protocols:
Table 2: Close Contacts – (No Quarantine)
Asymptomatic Persons Who are Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (No Quarantine)
Recommended Actions
Everyone, regardless of vaccination status.
Persons infected within the prior 30 days do not need to be tested, quarantined, or excluded from work unless symptoms develop.
Test within 3-5 days after last exposure.
Close contacts, if exposed in your household, should wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings and when near those at higher risk for severe COVID-19 disease (see masking section below for additional information).
Close contacts, in our school setting, have the option to mask or unmask. Exposure risk is lower in our program, due to the amount of time spent outdoors.
Strongly encouraged to get vaccinated or boosted.
If symptoms develop, test, and stay home (see earlier section on symptomatic persons), AND
If test result is positive, follow isolation recommendations above (Table 1).
All close contacts:
Should consider testing as soon as possible to determine infection status and follow all isolation recommendations above if testing positive. Knowing one is infected early enables (a) earlier access to treatment options, if indicated (especially for those who may be at risk for severe illness), and (b) notification of exposed persons (close contacts) who may also benefit by knowing if they are infected. If testing negative before Day 3, retest at least a day later at least once, during the 3–5 day window following exposure.
Close contacts who were previously infected in the last 30 days do not need to test unless symptoms develop. Close contacts who were previously infected in the last 31–90 days should test using an antigen test, even if asymptomatic and regardless of vaccination status, given the increased transmissibility and increased repeat infections with the circulating Omicron variant and the higher likelihood that they may be infected.
So here's a sample protocol timeline based on the above information, for people who were exposed in their household, but do not have symptoms:
Day 0 = 7/8 (last day of exposure)
Day 1 = 7/9 (first day of "quarantine", wear a well fitted mask around others)
Day 3-5 = 7/11-7/13 (soonest testing date if they develop no symptoms)
Day 6-10 = 7/14-7/18 (wear a well-fitted mask around others if released after days 3-5)
Day 10 = 7/18 (last full day of masking)
Testing is required every morning before attending school during the 10 day "quarantine" period, so we know they are at least clear at the start of the day. Please email the results to the site director and executive director. Kids this age aren't always reliable in telling us that they feel off. We have plenty of tests at school (currently) if you want a staff member to set some out for your family! Just text the school phone and say how many you'd like if that would be helpful to you.
Kids who are masking will be monitored and helped to have some space from the group if they need a mask break. They will also have a little space while unmasked at lunch time. If your child naps, they will either go home at rest time, or you can opt to join "rest nest" and stay masked.
More Resources For our Community:
Sonoma County testing resources: https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/health-and-human-services/health-services/divisions/public-health/disease-control/covid-19/testing
Test to Treat Initiative (The Biden-Harris Administration has announced a new nationwide COVID-19 Test to Treat initiative that gives individuals who live in the U.S. an important new way to rapidly access free lifesaving treatment for COVID-19. While vaccination continues to provide the best protection against COVID-19, the Test to Treat initiative is part of a broader strategy to quickly connect eligible individuals who are at high risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 to appropriate treatments that have shown improved results. )
Kinsa Health Weather (A tool that shows real time risk assessment for covid in Sonoma County)
