Quarantine or Isolation: What’s the Difference?
Quarantine keeps someone who might have been exposed to the virus away from others.
Isolation keeps someone who is infected with the virus (positive) away from others, even in their home.
Is testing needed during a quarantine?
While a negative test result may help to put your mind at ease, it does not end your quarantine period early. Since the incubation period for the virus can be as long as 14 days, a negative test result during that possible incubation period is no guarantee that you are not infected. It means only that, at the time of your test, your sample did not — or did not yet — show viral levels high enough to be reliably measured – https://medical.mit.edu/covid-19-updates
Is testing required to be cleared to return after a 10 day isolation?
You can return to school or work after completing the 10 day isolation period if symptoms have subsided and you have been fever free for at least 24 hrs without the use of fever-reducing medications. A negative COVID test is not required to be cleared to return after completing isolation.
Please visit these CDC websites for further quarantine and isolation information:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/isolation.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html
PLEASE NOTE: Students are cleared to return to school when the nurse receives documentation of the following: Health care provider clearance letter to return to school, including a date the student may return OR Negative COVID-19 test results. Please keep your child home until ALL symptoms have subsided, including being fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
Please provide the following information when reporting COVID symptoms, a known COVID direct exposure, or COVID test results:
· Date of onset of symptoms
· Date of direct exposure
· Is positive family member able to totally isolate from members in household · Email copy of COVID test results to Nurse Cheryl clkirchner@conroeisd.net or bush@conroeisd.net. The earliest return to school date will be determined from this information.
ISOLATION OR QUARANTINE:
· Students who are absent due to isolation or quarantine criteria who log in to SeeSaw or Canvas before 11:59 pm will be counted as a REMOTE ATTENDANCE.
· Students who are absent due to isolation or quarantine criteria who are unable to sign into SeeSaw or Canvas before 11:59 pm will be counted as an EXCUSED ABSENCE.
RETURN-TO-SCHOOL CRITERIA:
Per Conroe ISD guidelines: If your child has a fever or other symptoms that could be from COVID-19 and does not get tested OR is not cleared by their healthcare provider with an alternative diagnosis, it is assumed the child has COVID-19 and may not return to school until the following 3 criteria are met:
1. Has been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
2. AND child has improved symptoms.
3. AND at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
Please email or fax (936-709-1699) healthcare provider date of return to school confirmation or COVID-19 test results to the nurse clkirchner@conroeisd.net or bush@conroeisd.net in order to return to school sooner than the 10 day isolation period.
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
· Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater to or equal to 100 dg F.
· Chills
· Cough
· Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
· Fatigue
· Muscle or body aches
· Headache
· New loss of taste or smell
· Sore throat
· Congestion or runny nose
· Nausea or vomiting
· Diarrhea
· Shaking or exaggerated shivering https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/care-for-someone.html
PLEASE NOTIFY THE NURSE OR THE FRONT OFFICE IF YOUR CHILD DEVELOPS ANY OF THE ABOVE SYMPTOMS.
MEDICATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:
Prescription medication must be in the original container, properly labeled including the student’s name, the name of the medication, directions concerning dosage, the schedule for administration, expiration date, and the date the prescription was filled. No expired prescription medication will be administered. No more than a ninety (90) day supply of a prescription medication may be checked in at one time.
Over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, ibuprofen, cough or cold medicines that could potentially mask COVID-19 symptoms will require a written order from your child’s health care provider. Special Medication Note: Due to CDC COVID-19 guidelines nebulizer medications cannot be administered at school at this time.
CURB SIDE MEDICATION SIGN IN:
Please email or call the clinic if your child will require a scheduled or prescription medication for this school year. A medication permission form will be emailed to you, or let us know if you need to pick up a paper copy.
Medications will be dropped off via curb side delivery Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:30-2:30. Please email clkirchner@conroeisd.net or call 936-709-1600 (front office) or 936-709-1609 (clinic) to let us know that you are here for medication drop off. Nurse Cheryl will come out to your car to collect the signed forms and medication.
CLINIC STUDENT CLOTHING REQUEST:
In case of restroom accidents, spills, muddy clothes, please keep a complete change of clothes in your child’s backpack in a zip lock bag to have on hand. The clinic will not have extra clothes in the clinic to provide our students. Parents will be called to bring clothing changes if their child does not have extra clothes available in their backpack. Thank you for your help!
Stay Healthy,
Nurse Cheryl Kirchner, RN
clkirchner@conroeisd.net
936-709-1609
Evelin Padilla, Clinic Assistant
epadillaguerrer@conroeisd.net
