Procedures Regarding Exposure to COVID-19

Close Contact (or Primary/Direct Exposure): Someone who was within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from two days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, two days prior to specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.

Secondary/Indirect Exposure: An individual is exposed to someone who has had close contact/direct exposure to someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Isolation: A public health practice used to protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease. Isolation separates sick people from those who are not sick.

Quarantine: A public health practice used to protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease. To quarantine separates an individual who was exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Test: A nasal swab test.

A viral test available for COVID-19 tells an individual if they a current infection.

If a student or faculty/staff member and/or their family member takes a COVID-19 test, the student or faculty/staff member may not return to school until they receive the results and clearance to return to the campus per the guidelines below.

If an individual tests positive for COVID-19 by a viral test, they should follow the guidance and protective steps outlined below to take if you are sick or caring for someone and speak with the School Nurse before returning to school.

If an individual tests negative for COVID-19 by a viral test, they probably were not infected at the time the sample was collected. However, that does not mean they will not get sick. The test result only means that they did not have COVID-19 at the time of testing. An individual may test negative if the sample was collected early in their infection and test positive later during their illness. They could also be exposed to COVID-19 after the test and get infected then.

An individual does not need to get a “negative test” to clear a child to return to school. The COVID-19 positive individual does NOT need a repeat COVID test.

• Student is sent to nurse immediately.
• Nurse screens student for COVID-19 symptoms
  • If COVID-19 symptom screening is negative, student follows protocols consistent with attendance policy
  • If COVID-19 symptom screening is positive:
    • Student moved to isolation area
      • Parents notified to pick up student immediately
      • Parents advised to seek medical attention
    • Head of School, Division Director, and Assistant Head of Operations notified and communication threshold assessed and activated (if necessary)
    • Area where student was present is cleaned and disinfected
    • Nurse follows up with family every 24 hours until a diagnosis or test results are received.
      • If test results are positive for COVID-19, school to notify the Allegheny County Health Department and initiate contact tracing

• Employee is sent to nurse immediately.
• Nurse screens employee for COVID-19 symptoms
  • If COVID-19 symptom screening is negative, employee follows protocols consistent with employee handbook
  • If COVID-19 symptom screening is positive:
    • Employee leaves school immediately
    • Employee advised to seek medical attention
    • Head of School, Division Director/Department Manager, and Assistant Head of Operations notified and communication threshold assessed and activated (if necessary)
    • Area where employee was present is cleaned and disinfected
  • Nurse follows up with employee every 24 hours until diagnosis and once upon return.
    • If test results are positive for COVID-19, school to notify the Allegheny County Health Department and initiate contact tracing

A symptomatic individual with a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (nasal swab) test may return to school:

• 10 days after symptoms first appeared, and
• 48 hours after fever resolution (if present), and
• Improvement of other symptoms, and
• Physician clearance provided

School Must:

• Follow established communications plan to notify staff, students, and families.
• Notify Allegheny County Health Department.
• Investigate, contact trace, and establish what other students and/or staff members were in close contact with sick person.
• Identify corrective actions, if any, that can be taken for the future

A symptomatic individual with a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (nasal swab) test may return to school:

• Three days after symptoms are no longer present, and
• Physician clearance provided

A symptomatic individual who has not been tested may return to school:

• 10 days after symptoms began, and
• 48 hours after fever resolution (if present), and
• Improvement of other symptoms, and
• Physician clearance provided

A symptomatic individual with an alternate cause/illness per their physician may return to school:

• 48 hours after fever resolution (if present), and
• Improvement of other symptoms, and
• Physician clearance provided

An asymptomatic individual with a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (nasal swab) test may return to school:

• 10 days after PCR test was collected*, and
• Physician clearance provided

*If symptoms develop during the 10 days, follow Quarantine and School Absence Policy guidance for "Symptomatic Individual: Positive Test."

School Must:

• Follow established communications plan to notify staff, students, and families.
• Notify Allegheny County Health Department.
• Investigate, contact trace, and establish what other students and/or staff members were in close contact with sick person.
• Identify corrective actions, if any, that can be taken for the future.

• A symptomatic individual who has been in close contact with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 and has tested positive for COVID-19 must follow the Quarantine and Social Absence Policy guidance for "Symptomatic Individual: Positive Test."

• A symptomatic individual who has been in close contact* with a confirmed or probable case** of COVID-19 and has not been tested for COVID-19 or has tested negative for COVID-19 may return to school:
  • 14 days after last exposure to the person with COVID-19, and
  • 48 hours after fever resolution (if present), and
  • Improvement of other symptoms, and
  • Physician clearance provided

Household contacts are in quarantine until 14 days after household positive is released from isolation.

If an individual is exposed to someone who has direct exposure to someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, no quarantine is needed.

• An asymptomatic individual who has been in close contact with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 and has tested positive for COVID-19 must follow the Quarantine and Social Absence Policy guidance for "Symptomatic Individual: Positive Test."

• An asymptomatic individual who has been in close contact* with a confirmed or probable case** of COVID-19 and has not been tested for COVID-19 or has tested negative for COVID-19 may return to school 14 days after last exposure to the person with COVID-19.

Household contacts are in quarantine until 14 days after household positive is released from isolation.

If an individual is exposed to someone who has direct exposure to someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, no quarantine is needed.

• If an individual travels to a state with high COVID-19 rates as determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Health or from any destination outside the United States, they must self-quarantine for 14 days and may not return to school until 14 days after they return to Pennsylvania.
• If symptoms develop during the 14 days, individuals must follow the Quarantine and Social Absence Policy guidance for "Symptomatic Individual: No Test."