Procedures Regarding Exposure to COVID-19

What is a confirmed case?
A confirmed case is a person whose illness has been diagnosed as COVID-19 using an FDA approved test. Confirmed cases must isolate for a minimum of 10 days after symptom onset (or from the date of the positive test result for asymptomatic individuals) must have at least 24 hours of feeling better, and must be fever-free for 48 hours without fever-reducing medication, before ending their isolation.

Who is a close contact?
As defined by the Allegheny County Health Department, a close contact is 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 testing) until the time the patient is isolated. Close contacts must quarantine for 14 days from the last time of exposure. A negative test does not change the need to quarantine for 14 days. A member of the Pandemic Team will always call you directly to alert you if your child is a close contact.

Who is a secondary contact and what does that mean for that person?
A secondary contact is an individual exposed to someone who has had close contact/direct exposure to someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. This could be a parent or sibling living in the same home. Secondary contacts do not need to quarantine unless the close contact develops symptoms or tests positive.

What is a probable case?
A probable case is an individual who has been identified as a close contact with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 and is exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19 with or without a positive testing result. Probable cases are treated the same as a test-positive case. Probable cases must isolate for a minimum of 10 days after symptom onset, must have at least 24 hours of feeling better, and must be fever-free for 48 hours without fever-reducing medication, before ending their isolation. A negative test does not change the need to isolate.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Test: A nasal swab test. This is the only COVID-19 test accepted by the school.

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 if:

• It has been 10 days after symptoms first appeared, and
• It has been 48 hours after fever resolution (if present), and
• There is Improvement of other symptoms, and
• Individual has spoken to the School Nurse, and
• A physician's clearance has been 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 if:

• It has been three days after symptoms are no longer present, and
• The individual has spoken to the School Nurse, and
• A physician's clearance has been provided

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

• It has been 10 days after symptoms first appeared, and
• It has been 48 hours after fever resolution (if present), and
• There is improvement of other symptoms, and
• The individual has spoken to the School Nurse, and
• A physician's clearance has been provided

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

• It has been 48 hours after fever resolution (if present), and
• There is improvement of other symptoms, and
• The individual has spoken to the School Nurse, and
• A physician's clearance has been provided

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

• It has been 10 days since the PCR test was collected*, and
• The individual has spoken to the School Nurse, and
• A physician's clearance has been 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 if:
  • It has been 14 days after last exposure to the person with COVID-19, and
  • It has been 48 hours after fever resolution (if present), and
  • There is improvement of other symptoms, and
  • The individual has spoken to the School Nurse, and
  • A physician's clearance has been 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 may return to school 10 days after last exposure to the person with COVID-19 and after speaking with the School Nurse.
• An asymptomatic individual who has been in close contact* with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 and has tested negative** for COVID-19 may return to school 7 days after last exposure to the person with COVID-19 and after speaking with the School Nurse.

*Household contacts will have to remain in quarantine for 14 days after their last household exposure. For most, this will be 14 days after your household member is released from isolation.

**A PCR test must be taken on or after quarantine Day 5.