School Plans -- What Happens When a Person is COVID-19 Positive?

If and when Scioto County schools reopen, the major concern for all of us is what will happen when a student, a teacher, or another staff member tests positive for COVID-19. The Ohio Department of Education's “Planning Guide for Ohio Schools and Districts” (2020) includes plans for such an unfortunate event. Of course, these precautions are paramount to reopening and establishing person-to-person education in our local schools.

One preventative step includes recommendations that schools should, as much as possible, prohibit visitors from entering school buildings. Visitations should be limited to those enrolling new students or for emergency situations.

In addition, temperature checks and symptom checks should be required for all visitors. In cases where schools and districts have partnerships with community organizations, health care providers and local government agencies that provide additional educational and wraparound services to students, staff of such partners should be allowed into buildings following the same precautions as school personnel.

As a special note, the planning guide acknowledges there are many adults who are not employed by a school district but who remain part of routine school life, such as student teachers, college faculty observing student teachers, delivery personnel, etc. These individuals should be treated as school personnel.

A Positive Case

If a student, staff or volunteer begins to show COVID-19 symptoms or has a temperature above 100 degrees at school, the person “must” be placed in a separate room away from other students, given a face covering, and monitored by a staff member maintaining physical distancing and wearing personal protective equipment. Schools should then contact the local health department.

Any staff member exhibiting symptoms while working in the school also should “continue to wear a face mask and self-isolate in a separate room, away from other staff and students.” Students and staff exhibiting symptoms should go home as soon as possible.

The people must inform the school of any exposure to the virus. Pursuant to Ohio Department of Health guidelines, families, caregivers and staff should notify the school if they have been exposed to COVID-19 or if they, or any members of their households, have been diagnosed with or presumed to have COVID-19. They also should notify the school if they are quarantined.

Personnel and students with known exposure to someone with diagnosed or presumed COVID-19 “must” self-quarantine at home for 14 days. Personnel or students who travel to a location with known community spread may choose to self-quarantine at home for 14 days.

Given the likelihood of increased absences due to illness or quarantine, school policies should be adjusted so as not to penalize students and personnel for required quarantine period(s). Remote learning plans should be considered for all students who are absent for a significant time period and able to continue engaging in learning. Even more significant shifting of instructional approaches most likely will be necessary when a significant number of individuals are required to be quarantined (classroom, school-building or district levels).

Schools and districts should work with their local health departments on COVID-19 surveillance activities by tracking attendance and notifying their local health departments of significant increases in absenteeism.

Personnel and students with confirmed or presumed COVID-19 “must meet conditions prescribed by the Ohio Department of Health and their local health departments prior to returning to school.” These conditions may change frequently, and schools and districts should maintain frequent communication with their local health departments regarding these guidelines.

A Flare-up

It is expected there will be “flare-ups” of COVID-19 cases as determined by the Ohio Department of Health or local health departments. Flare-ups will need to be addressed by implementing additional measures beyond ongoing precautions. In some cases, entire school buildings may need to close for purposes of cleaning and sanitizing or in recognition of high levels of student or staff illness.

In the event of a flare-up, districts should follow additional precautions set forth by the Ohio Department of Health and their local health departments. These precautions may change frequently, and schools and districts should maintain frequent communication with their local health departments regarding these guidelines.

Each Scioto school district is required to conform to the state plan for reopening. While it is much easier to make plans than to implement them, local districts should be transparent and committed to enforcing their procedures for addressing positive cases of COVID-19. Parents, caretakers, and all other community members must be a part of a district's successful plan. After all, the staff and students from schools come home every day and integrate with the community as a whole. Vulnerable people outside the school setting will undoubtedly be increasingly exposed to the virus when a flare-up occurs.

The “Planning Guide for Ohio Schools and Districts” should be accessed for much more detailed information concerning Ohio schools reopening in 2020. Click here: http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Reset-and-Restart/Reset-Restart-Guide.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US