Please review the updated COVID-19 protocols for Bibb County School District. This information is subject to revision based on continued guidance throughout the school year by the CDC, Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE).

DISTRICT SAFETY PROTOCOLS

• Effective March 1, masks will be optional in schools, BCSD buildings and on school buses. (New revision: Based on updated guidance released by the CDC on February 25, masks will be optional on school buses.) Masks are still required for those individuals returning to school or work during the quarantine or isolation phase.
• COVID-19 vaccinations and/or boosters are not required but are strongly recommended and encouraged for any eligible individual 5 years and older. Find a vaccination site at www.vaccines.gov. Learn more about pediatric COVID-19 vaccine recommendations at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/children-teens.html.
• Individuals should remain home if they feel unwell and contact their medical provider if they are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19.
• The Bibb County School District will maintain data regarding the number of positive COVID-19 cases by class, grade level, school and total enrollment. District officials will review this data on a regular basis. Positive cases will be reported to DPH as directed.

CONTACT TRACING AND NOTIFICATION PROTOCOLS

• The Bibb County School District remains in close contact with the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) / North Central Health District and will follow protocols of DPH notifiable diseases by reporting positive cases of COVID-19 to DPH. The safety and well-being of students and staff is one of our top priorities. For DPH / NCHD information, visit https://northcentralhealthdistrict.org/.
• If a student or employee tests positive for COVID-19, he/she is expected to notify the principal or supervisor. Principals will notify the school nurse. Central Office supervisors should notify Corey Goble of positive cases in Central Office or other departments.
• When a positive case of COVID-19 is identified, the Bibb County School District will send out notification via School Messenger only to parents whose child was in a classroom with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. According to guidelines for school settings, students in the same classroom may continue attending school unless the point of exposure was outside of the school setting or the child begins showing signs of illness. If parents receive this call, they should monitor their child’s health. If the child begins showing signs of illness, parents should keep the child home from school and continue to monitor symptoms. If symptoms continue, parents should contact the child’s doctor and consider having them tested for COVID-19. Parents should follow up with the school if the child becomes sick. Again, the purpose of the School Messenger call is only to inform parents their child was in a room with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. By law, District personnel cannot share the name of an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19.
• *SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT ABOVE STATEMENT: Per an Administrative Order, schools may adhere to different quarantine requirements in order to facilitate in-person learning. These alternative quarantine guidelines can only be followed if the point of exposure is in the school setting and the individual remains symptom-free during the quarantine period.
• Employees who test positive must notify their supervisor. Supervisors will notify the school nurse or Corey Goble (departments). Employees will receive an email with a link to a Microsoft Form to complete for contact tracing purposes. Close contacts are defined as individuals (adults or students) who have been within 6 feet for a cumulative 15 minutes over a 24-hour period during the infectious period. The infectious period is defined as the 48-hour period of time prior to symptom onset or positive test (if asymptomatic).
• COVID-positive individuals must isolate according to the guidelines by the CDC, listed below. Students and employees are expected to follow isolation and quarantine guidelines provided by the CDC and/or DPH. School nurses and Human Resources administrators may assist with clarifying and identifying return dates.
• Any student or employee, regardless of vaccination status, notified that he/she is a close contact outside of the school setting should immediately notify their principal or supervisor of their close contact status. Principals will notify the school nurse. Central Office supervisors should notify Corey Goble of cases in Central Office and departments. DPH will provide individuals with guidance on when they may return to school or work following their isolation or quarantine period, if required. A school nurse may ask for proof of vaccination.
• Instruction of quarantined students will take place asynchronously through Canvas. Teachers and staff will use a designated attendance code for students who are in quarantine. Students must submit completed assignments in Canvas in order to be counted as “participated” for the duration of the quarantine period.

QUARANTINE / ISOLATION PROTOCOLS

The Bibb County School District will follow CDC / DPH guidelines for isolation and quarantine. For more information, see the Administrative Order, January 5, 2022.

Student/Staff Isolation: Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 (regardless of vaccination status) must:

• Isolate at home for 5 days from the date symptoms first appeared or, if asymptomatic, the date of the positive test. Stay away from others in the household as much as possible during isolation.
• After 5 days, if you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving and you have not had fever for more than 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication, you may end isolation. If symptoms are not improving or fever has not resolved, you should continue isolating for the remainder of the 10 days or until these criteria are met within the 10-day timeframe.
• After ending isolation, you should continue to wear a mask around other individuals in the home and in public for 5 days or the conclusion of the 10-day timeframe.
• Should fever persist beyond 10 days, a doctor’s note may be required.

Student Quarantine: If a student has been identified as a close contact to someone with COVID-19 outside of the school setting, follow these protocols.

Vaccinated and/or boosted:

Depending on eligibility by age, if you have been fully vaccinated or boosted within the last 6 months (Moderna or Pfizer vaccine) or within the last 2 months (J&J vaccine):

• You do not need to quarantine.
• You should wear a mask around other individuals in public for 10 days.
• If possible, get tested on day 5.
• If you develop symptoms, get tested and isolate at home until test results are received, then proceed in accordance with the test results.
• A school nurse may ask for proof of vaccination.
  

Unvaccinated:

If you are unvaccinated, or became fully vaccinated more than 6 months ago (Moderna or Pfizer vaccine) or more than 2 months ago (J&J vaccine) and have not received a booster depending on eligibility by age:

• You must quarantine at home for 5 days. After that, continue to wear a mask around other individuals for 5 additional days.
• If possible, get tested on day 5.
• If you develop symptoms, get tested and isolate at home until test results are received, then proceed in accordance with the test results.
• NOTE: When the close contact is a household member and is unable to quarantine away from the positive individual, the quarantine period does not start until the isolation of the positive person is finished. In other words, the quarantine will be 10-20 days based on whether the positive individual and the close contact are symptomatic or asymptomatic. This is most common when the positive person is a parent, and the close contact is a young child. A school nurse may help clarify these guidelines for staff.
• Per an Administrative Order, schools may adhere to different quarantine requirements in order to facilitate in-person learning. These alternative quarantine guidelines can only be followed if the point of exposure is in the school setting and the individual remains symptom-free during the quarantine period.

Employee Quarantine: Per an Administrative Order, educators and education staff are now considered essential workers. This means that a staff member, regardless of vaccination status, can continue to report to work during their quarantine period as long as they remain asymptomatic and are masked. When the staff member is not working, they must follow quarantine guidance. The exemption to quarantine is for work only.

EMPLOYEE SICK LEAVE

• The Bibb County School District will provide employees with 10 days of COVID Leave time for the 2021-2022 school year (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022). Any leave time beyond 10 days will come from the employee's own sick or personal leave. Proof / documentation will be required for use of COVID Leave time. Examples of proof / documentation include copy of positive test for employee or child, or letter from daycare that has been closed due to a COVID outbreak.

VISITORS

• As of April 4, 2022, the Bibb County School District is no longer limiting access to visitors. Parents and community partners are allowed in schools on an invitation basis.
• The Bibb County School District is allowing approved volunteers who have been vaccinated for COVID-19. A few exceptions to this protocol will be allowed based on medical reasons. Volunteers will be required to submit proof of vaccination when completing the volunteer application.
• Upon entering buildings and signing in through CheckMate, volunteers and guests will be required to respond to COVID-19 safety questions before completing the check-in process.

Parents will receive important notifications regarding COVID-19 via School Messenger and/or Remind. If you are not receiving updates, the District does not have updated contact information for you on file. Please contact your child's school or follow these instructions for updating your contact information in Parent Portal: https://www.bcsdk12.net/parents/parentportal

To read tips for using Remind, CLICK HERE.

If you need assistance finding a COVID-19 Testing Facility, please visit https://dph.georgia.gov/castlight-location-finder.

COVID-19 vaccinations are not required but are strongly recommended and encouraged for any eligible individual 5 years and older. Additionally, many individuals are eligible for a booster shot 2-6 months following the primary COVID-19 vaccination series. Read more about eligibility here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html.

• The Macon-Bibb County Health Department is administering COVID-19 vaccines to individuals 5 years and older each Wednesday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at its location at 1600 Forsyth Street, Macon. Appointments are not required. For more information, visit https://northcentralhealthdistrict.org/covid-19-vaccine/.
• Individuals may schedule vaccination appointments with the health department on days other than Wednesdays by calling 478-749-0179.
• Visit www.vaccines.gov to plug in your ZIP code and find a location providing COVID-19 vaccinations near you.
• The Bibb County School District partners with CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) through the Georgia Department of Public Health. Find upcoming vaccination events near you at https://curogram.com/registrations/6164217518fe6d009fed51ae.

This review of data is in addition to the COVID-19 safety measures currently being implemented in schools. These measures include, but are not limited to:

• Encouraging vaccinations among those eligible;
  
• Checking temperatures daily;
• Frequent hand washing breaks;
• District-installed ionization systems that purify the air and kill germs;
• Water fountains are touchless;
• Visitors allowed in buildings have been limited; and
• Any approved volunteers must have proof of vaccination.

The District continues to monitor community spread and takes COVID-19, as well as the safety of students and staff, very seriously. The District's protocols for COVID-19 will be fluid this year and will continue to change as we learn, listen, receive more information, and follow the science. Thank you for your partnership in keeping our schools safe.