HEALTH AND SAFETY

A. COVID POSITIVE (regardless of vaccination status)

• 5-day isolation from onset of symptom date or test date if no symptoms. Must be fever free for at least 24 hours without fever reducing medicine and symptoms are improving.
• If severely ill or immunocompromised, should seek consultation of your doctor before ending isolation.
• OCDEL requires that a positive child or facility staff member must provide a doctor’s written note, or a negative test result signed and verified by a physician or nurse practitioner (CRNP) clearing them to return. An unverified home test will not be accepted.

B. EXPOSED TO COVID (non-household member)

• ASYMPTOMATIC: Can continue to come to school if not showing symptoms
• SYMPTOMATIC: Can return by meeting one of the criteria below:
  • Without testing, quarantine for 5 days and return to school if less than 2 symptoms and they are improving. Must be fever free for at least 24 hours without fever reducing medicine.
  • Can return to school with a negative COVID test. Home tests are acceptable. Send in a photo of the test with individual’s name and date on it. Must have less than 2 symptoms and symptoms should be improving. Must be fever free for at least 24 hours without fever reducing medicine.
  • Can return with a doctor’s note clearing individual to return to school

C. HOUSEHOLD MEMBER IS POSITIVE

• ASYMPTOMATIC and Isolated
  If you are not showing symptoms and are not directly caring for, or dependent on the care of the positive household member, you can return to school as long as symptom free.  If symptoms develop, quarantine, and follow steps below. 
• SYMPTOMATIC or Exposed to Positive Household Member
  If new symptoms develop after being exposed to positive household member:
  • Can return to school without a test
    • After 5 days from onset of symptoms, symptoms are improving, and fever free for at least 24 hours without fever reducing medicine
  • Can return to school with a COVID test
    • COVID POSITIVE
      If the test is found positive, isolate for 5 days from onset of symptoms. Refer to ITEM A above on return requirements.
    • COVID NEGATIVE
      If negative, can return to school by providing a photo of the negative test with the date and name on it. Home tests are acceptable. Should have less than 2 symptoms that are improving and be fever free for at least 24 hours without fever reducing medicine.

PCA’s POSITION ON MASKS

• STAFF 
  During periods of high transmission of COVID and other contagious illnesses, staff will be expected to wear a mask in ECE settings.  Staff may remove masks when able to social distance and for short interims to eat and drink.  Staff with underlying medical conditions, with permission from administration, may be exempt from wearing masks. 
• CHILDREN, PARENTS, and VISITORS
  Masks are optional

EXEMPT FOR 90 DAYS FROM QUARANTINE

Individuals who have had COVID within 90 days will be exempt from quarantine after being exposed. If symptoms develop, should get tested. If test positive, should follow item A above. If test negative, can return to school by providing a photo of the negative test with the date and name on it. Home tests are acceptable. Should have less than 2 symptoms that are improving and be fever free for at least 24 hours without fever reducing medicine.  

Most current cases of the omicron variant exhibit mild symptoms. PCA will continue to monitor case incidences, ongoing guidance and recommendations from health authorities, be up to date with licensing expectations, and prioritize how to safely minimize COVID disruptions to our community. PCA requests families to report positive cases honestly to the school and keep children home if they are sick as part of our mitigation strategy.