Travel
So I hear there are a few travel questions out there! I’m here to help you navigate! The Darien School District is encouraging all travelers to follow the CDC and CT DPH travel guidelines and recommendations for Domestic and International travel. The CDC continues to advise that travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19. After travel (and always) stay home if you are sick or if you have been in contact with someone with COVID-19. A COVID-19 test and/or quarantine after travel is recommended to keep all healthy and safe.
If you are travelling:
· it is RECOMMENDED that on your return, you and your child(ren) stay at home and quarantine.
· It is RECOMMENDED that you get a COVID-19 PCR or Rapid test between day 3 – 5 post travel.
· If you get a negative COVID-19 test it is RECOMMENDED that you continue to stay at home and quarantine and monitor for symptoms through the 7th day post travel.
· If you get a positive COVID-19 test you need to ISOLATE yourself at home for 10 days to protect others from getting infected (and report to your school nurse!!)
· If you do not get tested it is RECOMMENDED that you stay home and quarantine for 10 days post travel.
· Please note for International travel all air passengers coming to the USA are REQUIRED to have a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board a flight to the USA.
· Of course with all travel remember all of your protective strategies including face masks, distancing, avoiding crowded areas, washing hands etc!
· Of course, always monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and stay home as well as get a COVID-19 test if you experience symptoms or have been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
If you have any questions with the Travel Guidelines please call/email me 203-655-1323 ex 4203 or ligrant@darienps.org as well as review https://portal.ct.gov/coronavirus/travel
Where do I go to get a COVID-19 test?
Don’t know where to get a COVID-19 PCR test? Call or email me! I keep a running list of testing stations that many families have been using and what has been helpful (or not). Here are a few that many families have used and have had good experiences with:
· Cove Park Drive thru 1125 Cove Rd, Stamford, 8:30am – 4pm
· Norwalk Community College Drive thru 188 Richards Avenue, Norwalk, 8:30am – 4pm
· CIC Health 845 Canal St, Stamford (old Dinosaur BBQ location)
· Yale New Haven Health drive thru 260 Long Ridge Rd, Stamford 8am – 8pm
Is it Spring Allergies or is it COVID-19?
At this time we need to think COVID-19 before we just say “ugh my allergies are back!” Now that Spring is here it is just going to be more difficult to decipher between what symptoms are what! Before we just pass something off as a common cold or a Spring allergy symptom we need to be sure it is not COVID-19. The symptoms are all so very similar and in order to keep all safe and healthy a COVID-19 PCR test is needed. Please continue to check in with me to talk through even the simplest of symptoms before sending your child to school! The conversation is so helpful. I know it can be frustrating especially if your child always gets a stuffy nose and scratchy throat in April every year – this year it’s just different and we need to first make sure we are not dealing with COVID-19.
Please stay home even for mild symptoms!
What are positive COVID-19 adults and children reporting as their symptoms? Very mild symptoms! “I had a headache all day”, “my nose was a little runny, I thought it was my allergies!”, “I had a little post nasal drip with a mild sore throat”, or “I thought I had a stomach bug since I vomited once”. Yes, it is normal for children to have mild cold symptoms or even tummy bugs but for now with the hopes of keeping all healthy and safe and to stop the spread of illness and COVID-19 we are asking you to keep your child home and seek COVID-19 PCR testing if you or a household member is experiencing any of the following:
· Sore or scratchy throat, even if mild
· New onset headache, even if mild
· Congestion or runny nose, even if mild
· New onset cough, even if infrequent
· Feeling hot or cold, chills, feverish without an increased body temperature
· Fever of 100.4 or higher
· Fatigue
· Muscle or body aches
· Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea (even just one episode!)
· Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
· Loss of taste or smell
Not sure? Please call or email Lisa to have a conversation before sending your child to school! Children should not need Tylenol/Advil/Motrin before coming to school to get through their day – it can mask sick symptoms! Let’s have a conversation and work together 203-655-1323 ex 4203 or ligrant@darienps.org
My child OR a household member is waiting for results from a COVID-19 test
· We are asking if anyone in your household is waiting for a COVID-19 test result with or without symptoms, please keep ALL family members home until test results are received! Please call or email Lisa to let her know. Remote learning will be set up during the wait.
· If your child has been tested for COVID-19 please call/email me as well as scan and email results to ligrant@darienps.org or fax results 203-656-9607 to be cleared to return to school. Your child must stay home until the results have been received and reviewed.
Help! My child has been named a contact!
If your child has been in contact with someone who has tested positive (parent, relative, friend, nanny, teammate, extracurricular activity contact, neighbor, playdate etc) PLEASE STAY HOME! Call/email me 203-655-1323 ex 4203 or ligrant@darienps.org You can even email on weekends and off hours!! We will talk through the contact and quarantine time frame. If any member of your household has been diagnosed with COVID-19 do not come to school. Remote learning will be in place during quarantine.
What else?
· Vision and Hearing Screenings will be done the week of 4/26!
· Luckily we have not seen any flu cases here! Mask wearing, distancing and frequent handwashing could definitely be the reason! I’ve seen very few strep throat cases and very few stomach viruses this past few weeks. I know it is difficult to distinguish between common childhood illnesses and COVID-19! I appreciate the partnership with you and talking out symptoms.
· Parents please remember to be good examples and still wear your face masks when dropping off or picking up your student or supplies! We appreciate it!
· Spring sports = spring injuries! Please remember to call or email me with any new injury (stitches, braces, casts or splints). Make sure you are asking your doctor for a note for Nurse Lisa!
· New diagnoses? New medication? Health concern? Let me know so that we can work together!
Don’t hesitate to reach out for any questions, concerns!
Thank you!
Lisa Grant RN BSN ligrant@darienps.org 203-655-1323 ex 4203