Important Updates from EUSD
January 18, 2022
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Updates in this communication include:
- COVID-19 Protocols and Notification Procedures
- COVID-19 Group Tracing & Testing
- Supporting Students in Quarantine at Home
- Updated Decision Tree
Dear EUSD Families and Staff,
Thank you for your continued patience as we shift to new guidance in this ever changing landscape of the pandemic. Once again we have a change for K-12 schools. We have consistently made updates to our protocols and procedures as established by the California Department of Public Health in order to best serve our students and staff. These changes are necessary for us to manage the current crisis caused by this surge.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has recently amended the COVID-19 isolation and quarantine protocols for K-12 schools. The newest protocols issued from CDPH are included below as we shift how we handle positive student cases.
The new guidance for an exposure to an individual positive for COVID-19 case at school is as follows:
The entire class (as we have done before) will be notified of a positive case (text and/or email)
Testing requirements have changed and it now states that students (including vaccinated students) are required to test once on day 3, 4 or 5. Unfortunately, this will no longer be done at the school site due to the increased volume and needs across the district. Parents can choose to test at home, at local testing sites or use Farm Lab. Additionally, beginning January 19 families may order free at home kits at www.covidtests.gov. Only positive results need to be shared with the District via the district reporting form on the EUSD website’s homepage)
Any child with symptoms should get a PCR test and must have a negative result to return to school.
Students in classes with an exposure will no longer need to be in modified quarantine at school and will be able to participate in all regular activities and extracurricular opportunities.
- A parent may still choose to quarantine their child at home after an exposure and should follow testing recommendations.
- At-home exposures follow separate guidance as indicated in the decision tree linked below.
In order to best provide testing according to the guidance for exposed classes and the overall increased need for testing, we will be shifting to a centralized approach beginning Wednesday, January 19th. This will allow us to have expanded hours and meet the demands during this surge.
Farm Lab Testing for Students and Staff will be available 7:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Antigen testing is available for return to work or school after an individual has tested positive. We recommend testing beginning on Day 7 as very few have tested negative before then.
PCR testing is required for symptomatic students and staff.
To support students who may be absent at this time or for families interested in additional learning at home, our district has created a website with resources available for you to use. Please visit https://bit.ly/EUSDatHome to access these resources.
Please find the updated Decision Tree with this link. Here is a link to the e-decision tree. You may also review the Decision Tree FAQ’s here. Our district website also has these resources.
Warmly,
Andrée Grey, Ed.D.
Superintendent