BWRSD School Nurse Newsletter
Friday, April 9, 2021
Dear BWRSD community,
The BWRSD school nurses want to take the opportunity to communicate with all our families about some important information.
This newsletter has information about the following:
1. Travel guidelines from Rhode Island Department of Health
2. Seasonal allergy symptoms versus Covid-19 symptoms
3. BinaxNOW testing in the schools
1. Travel Guidelines from Rhode Island Department of Health
Information listed below was taken from the Rhode Island Department of Health COVID-19 Travel Website (covid.ri.gov/covid-19-prevention/travel-tofrom-ri).
For those of you that are traveling during Spring Vacation Week (April 19 - 23), please review the following COVID Travel Guidelines for Spring 2021 per the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH).
Domestic Travel Guidelines (within the US/District of Columbia):
Rhode Islanders planning to travel out of state should be mindful of any testing or quarantine requirements that may be in place at their destination. Some states require that visitors provide a proof of negative test result taken within 72 hours prior to their arrival. Rhode Islanders planning to travel to a state that requires a COVID-19 test in order to avoid extended quarantine can schedule a test on portal.ri.gov.
If you are returning to Rhode Island from a U.S. state listed here with a positivity rate of COVID-19 greater than 5%, you are required to do one of the following:
- Provide proof of a negative result from a Covid-19 test (PCR or Antigen) taken within 72 hours prior to arrival in Rhode Island.
OR
- Must immediately quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in RI or until you get a negative Covid-19 test (PCR or Antigen) result.
Visit https://covid.ri.gov/testing for more information on testing sites.
International Travel Guidelines:
If you are returning to Rhode Island from a location outside of the 50 states or the District of Columbia (DC), you must do the following:
- Quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in the United States.
OR
- If you have a negative result from a test taken at least 5 days after you arrived back in Rhode Island, you may shorten quarantine to 7 days.
As of January 26, the CDC requires all air passengers arriving in the United States from any foreign country to provide a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery.
Visit https://covid.ri.gov/testing for more information on testing sites.
Quarantine Travel Exemptions:
- If you have had COVID-19 Infection: You are exempt from quarantine. Monitor for symptoms for 14 days. (Presumed immunity for 90 days after infection).
- If you have had COVID-19 Vaccination: You are exempt from quarantine. Test on Day 5-10 after travel. Monitor for symptoms for 14 days. (Presumed immunity 14 days after last vaccine dose). Visit https://covid.ri.gov/testing for more information on testing sites.
2. Seasonal Allergy Symptoms versus COVID-19 Symptoms
We are aware that a lot of students experience seasonal allergy symptoms. As you can see in the following diagram symptoms of allergies and Covid-19 can be very similar. Unfortunately, during this time, we cannot assume that your child’s symptoms are allergy related per CDC and RIDOH.
If new onset of ANY symptom(s)...
Don’t assume it is allergies, assume it is COVID.
Keep your child home.
Get tested for COVID-19.
If test negative and symptoms are consistent with allergies, student may return to school when fever free for 24 hours and is able to participate comfortably in school activities.
After a negative test, if runny nose or nasal congestion is due to allergies, symptoms might continue for days, weeks or months. The child may attend school as long as there is no fever, no new symptoms of COVID-19, or a sudden change of symptoms.
If any new additional COVID-19 symptoms, sudden change or worsening of runny nose of nasal congestion:
Keep your child home
Seek medical advice
Get tested for COVID-19.
Please call your child’s school nurse to keep her informed of your child’s status.
3. Binax Now Testing in Schools
BinaxNOW Testing in Schools
We need your help to stop the spread of COVID 19. As the old saying goes, ‘It takes a village’.
With the return to full in person learning on April 26th, please consider completing the consent in Aspen for your student to be tested in school.
It is another mitigation strategy we are using since February to help stop the spread of COVID 19.
We are collecting information daily from families, students, staff, the community and RIDOH to help in our efforts to stop the spread.
We are assessing for possible trends in absenteeism and for any potential outbreaks.
But BinaxNOW only works if we have families consenting to have their children tested in school. Remind your high school students to go to their school test site on their assigned day.
Completing the consent in Aspen is much like completing the daily COVID 19 Screening in Aspen.
Directions for completing BinaxNOW Consent Form in Aspen
Go to your Aspen Parent Portal Account
Under the Tasks Banner in Aspen, Click on the “Plus sign” +Initiate new task
Workflow box, click on drop down arrow and select BinaxNOW Consent Form
Date should be pre-populated with current date
Then select the name of your Student and then click NEXT
On the next Page make sure to Select YES in drop down Menu if the word YES is not already there
Again you will see the current Date and then click, NEXT
On the last page click on the word FINISH so that it is uploaded in Aspen.
Video Tutorial: How to Complete the BiNaxNow Consent form in Aspen
Please be sure you are completing the Daily COVID attestation form on each of your children. This form is found in Aspen. It is located in the same place as the Binax consent form
Thank you for the privilege of being a part of your child's life. Please feel free to contact your child's school nurse with any questions or concerns.
Ellen Estrella, RN
Mt. Hope High School
Erin Welchman, RN
Kickemuit Middle School
Julie Pirri, RN
Colt Andrews Elementary School
Ashley Wilkinson, RN
Guiteras Elementary School
Kim McCormack, RN
Rockwell Elementary School
Denise Rochefort, RN
Hugh Cole Elementary School
Bristol Warren Regional School District
Website: www.bwrsd.org
Location: 151 State Street, Bristol, RI USA
Phone: 401-253-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BristolWarrenSchools