GREENWOOD, Ind. — With schools back in session, some parents have already received calls from the school that their child needs to quarantine at home. 13News Anchor Dustin Grove spoke with WTHR Education Expert Jennifer Brinker, the assistant principal at Greenwood Middle School, about the rules schools are using to determine quarantining.
Dustin Grove: What happens when a student tests positive for COVID-19? What does that look like for schools?
Mrs. Brinker: This is the thing that schools continue to polish each time there is a positive case. Schools begin contact tracing and locate anyone who came in close contact with the positive child. The health department defines close contact as being within six feet for a total duration of 15 minutes in a day. Those individuals have to be pulled from class and a parent has to pick them up so that they can begin a 14 day quarantine before returning to school.
Dustin Grove: What about the student who tested positive?
Mrs. Brinker: That student would have to quarantine for 10 days and would be eligible to return to school at the end of that period if they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
Dustin Grove: If your child just has a sore throat, and they end up having to stay home quarantined, what should parents keep in mind?
Mrs. Brinker: For a child who is showing symptoms of COVID-19 - and remember this includes a lot of symptoms from sore throat to fever, cough, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell, sudden onset of headaches - there are three different ways that they will be eligible for return to school. They either need:
- A negative COVID test
- A note from a doctor with an alternate diagnosis and not COVID-related
(OR) - They have to stay home for a 10 day quarantine, been fever free for 24 hours, and symptoms must have improved
Dustin Grove: Anything else parents need to know?
Mrs. Brinker: It is, and honestly these points are just the tip of the iceberg, in this thick packet schools get. I would just encourage parents to continue to show some grace to your child’s school. We are following the guidance of the health department, which changes frequently. New guidance just came out that changed some symptoms and what is necessary to return to school. Guidance could even change by the time this airs, so please realize that we are doing the best we can to keep up with that and to keep our doors open.