Notes from your School Nurse | January 10th

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Happy New Year to all!! All these measures are in place to help keep our Hindley families (students and staff) safe and off to a healthy start to 2021! 

Travel 
We have changed some of our travel guidelines.  Although a COVID-19 PCR test is preferred and thought to be the gold standard of testing we can accept a Rapid/Antigen test for post travel as well. The CDC advises that travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19.  

If your family has traveled please:

  • -Email me so that we can talk through the CT Travel Advisory information and what to do to be able to return to school
  • -Your child will need a negative COVID-19 test.  We still prefer a PCR test but are now able to also accept a Rapid/Antigen test before they can return to school (I will need a copy of the test prior to return) or you can elect to have your child quarantine at home for 10 days.
  • -While you are waiting for your test result (or your 10-day quarantine) your child will be switched into remote learning.  Please call me ahead of time so that this can be set up with the teacher. Test results can be scanned and emailed to me. 

Unfortunately, this year even just the “common cold” is being questioned to be sure that we are making every effort to keep all safe here at Hindley so that we can stay in school!!  Never hesitate to reach out with a phone call or email 203-655-1323 ex 4203 or ligrant@darienps.org

When should I keep my child home? Our community numbers are rising.  If your child has been named a contact or if there is a family member who has tested positive, please call me to discuss next steps!

  • -If your child has been in contact with anyone who has COVID-19 they need to stay home.  Please call me to talk out any contact with someone who is positive for COVID-19 (family member, friend, nanny, ANYONE!!) If they were notified that they are a contact of someone with COVID-19 they need to stay home.  If a sibling or a family member has been notified that they are a contact or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 – call me with that as well – I would be happy to talk it out with you.  Call me to talk about quarantine, a return date and to start remote learning if it is deemed that they are a direct contact and need to quarantine.
  • -If your child had a COVID-19 test they need to stay home until I have the negative result!  Call or email me as soon as you know that your child is going to be tested so that we can talk, and we can set up remote learning. 
  • -If a family member is waiting for a COVID-19 PCR test result and has symptoms all family members should stay home
  • -If a family member has been named a contact and now has symptoms, they should get a COVID-19 PCR test and all family members should stay home.

Let’s talk about symptoms before sending your child to school!  We all get common colds, but this year is just different!  We need to talk about any and all symptoms together so that we can keep all safe here at school!  Symptoms to stay home with:

  • -A fever (100.4 degrees or higher without fever reducing medications such as -Tylenol/Motrin/Advil), or chills and feeling feverish without a fever.
  • -A new onset cough or a change in a chronic cough
  • -Nasal congestion or runny nose
  • -Headache
  • -Sore throat
  • -Vomiting or diarrhea
  • -Loss of taste or smell
  • -TWO OR MORE MILD SYMPTOMS (runny nose, nasal congestion, mild cough, mild sore throat, fatigue, body aches), stomachaches, diarrhea) should be also reported to your doctor for either further evaluation and a clearance note to come to school or a COVID-19 PCR test (not a rapid test).

Commonly Found Symptoms of COVID-19:

  • -We’ve all heard of the symptoms of a cough and fever as the cardinal symptoms of COVID-19 but here’s another look!  Presenting symptoms of COVID-19 most frequently seen in children include: nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting.  Symptoms should be discussed with your pediatrician to see if an evaluation or a PCR test should be done (not a rapid test).
  • -Most common presenting symptom of COVID-19 in an adult included fatigue and headache.

What do I do if my child was sent home sick from school?If your child was sent home with two or more symptoms or one persisting symptom we will discuss next steps:

  • -Contacting your doctor for further evaluation and a clearance note to return to school OR
  • -A COVID-19 PCR test (not a rapid test) OR
  • Stay home for a 10 day quarantine
  • **FOR SICKNESS WE NEED A PCR TEST, NOT A RAPID TEST

WE WILL DISCUSS ALL OF THESE! 
All of our Hindley School teachers have been wonderful to work with getting your child set up for remote learning if they need to stay home either for a prolonged illness (3 days or more) and/or if they are waiting for the result of a COVID-19 PCR test.  Remote learning is reserved for these 2 reasons and is not for the one off absence.  If it is deemed that a child will be out for 3 or more days or if they are waiting for a PCR test result please notify me as soon as possible.  I communicate with the teacher and remote leaning will be started as soon as possible.  The sooner we talk about it the sooner we can start!  All teachers want nothing more than to keep our children learning while they need to stay home. If a child is sick than it is better for them to rest and get better – so remote learning is not for the first day off with an illness.  Please contact me to talk about it further if needed.  

What do I do if my child test positive?  COVID-19 is a reportable disease and the provider doing the test will report the positive result to the state and local public health authorities.  If your child tests positive, please notify me as soon as possible with the test result to allow for prompt contact tracing and quarantine of close contacts. IF A FAMILY/HOUSEHOLD MEMBER TEST POSITIVE PLEASE LET ME KNOW!  If you child has been in contact with a positive nanny, friend, carpool, neighbor, teammate, please let me know!  If you find out in the evening or on the weekend you can still email me at ligrant@darienps.org or call 203-656-7440 to report. 

  • -A child who is positive must isolate for a minimum of 10 days away from all others as much as possible.  For more severe symptoms a longer isolation period according to your doctor.
  • -ALL household members (children, spouse/partner, live-in caregiver etc.) must quarantine for 10 days from the day of last exposure.
  • -If isolation of the positive person away from household members is not possible, the quarantine of household contacts begins after the 10 day isolation period (20 days of quarantine).  Many times, it is impossible for a positive parent to isolate away from their young child.  We will discuss this. 
  • -Discuss testing of all household contacts with doctor.
  • -You cannot test out of quarantine!
  • –Although quarantine time has been shortened to 10 days, a full 14 days of symptom monitoring is required.  Additionally , any individual who is subject to a post-exposure quarantine may not participate in athletics or extracurricular activities for a full 14 days beyond exposure. 

What do I do if my child is notified that they are a contact?:

  • -Your child must quarantine for 10 days
  • -Notify your school nurse and they will be moved into remote learning
  • -Contact your doctor and have a PCR test (not a rapid test) on day 5 from last exposure or per doctor recommendation
  • -Monitor temperature and symptoms daily
  • -Even with a negative PCR test you cannot test out of quarantine
  • -Household members of an individual who is in quarantine are not required to quarantine unless they have symptoms or are a direct contact of an individual who tests positive for COVID-19.

What to do when mom or dad test positive for COVID-19?
Depending on the age of the child it is impossible to self-isolate/quarantine away from a child (especially an elementary age child).  It is understandable that a parent still needs to care for their child and the household.  Quarantine for the child is a bit different in this case. Let’s talk about it.  If a positive parent cannot completely and effectively isolate and quarantine from their young child, the child’s quarantine of 10 days starts at day 10 of the positive parent’s quarantine for a total of 20 days. 

How does someone quarantine?:

  • -Stay home and away from others for 10 days (including school, work, outside activities, events, and sports)
  • -Avoid shared spaces in your home as much as possible (physical distance of 6 feet as much as possible, wear a mask in shared spaces if you cannot be 6 feet apart, sleep in separate bedrooms, separate bathrooms, no sharing bed linens, towels, utensils, dishes)
  • -Avoid high risk or elderly individuals
  • -Monitor for fever twice a day (100.4 degrees or higher)
  • -Monitor symptoms of COVID-19
  • -Continue cleaning of surfaces, shared spaces, and good handwashing
  • -Contact your doctor for further evaluation and testing information.

MASKS!

  • -Parents, please wear your masks too!! If you are dropping off or picking up your child from school, please wear a mask so that all are safe! In your car or as a walker!! If you are standing waiting for your child at pick up don’t forget social distancing and have your mask on!  Thank you!! The staff appreciate it and what a great example you are showing your child to keep all safe.   
  • -Don’t forget to check those masks!  Make sure your child’s mask is staying up on their nose and covering all the way down to their chin without needing frequent adjustments!!! A double ply mask, ear loop mask is preferred.  If using a gaiter, make sure it is double ply as well and staying up over the nose!    
  • -It’s time to wash those masks! Yes, some of those masks are a bit dirty or may have been sneezed in a few too many times!  Masks and gaiters should be washed after one day of use and paper masks should be discarded after one day of use.  
  • Pack an extra mask in your child’s backpack just in case!!  If a mask/gaiter gets wet with sweat, or saliva or sneezing or water bottle mishaps the mask needs to be changed. 

Information from our District Medical Doctor:
Based on the rate of positive results and rising community spread of COVID-19 and increasing reports of positive cases with mild illness, we have been advised by our Medical Advisor to adhere to the current public health recommendations which are:

  • Consult your medical provider about symptoms and further assessment.  The doctor can assess your child and give a note of an alternate diagnosis.
  • If your child has symptoms get tested for COVID-19 with a PCR test! (Not a rapid test! If a rapid or antigen test is negative your child will need to confirm with a PCR test! Get the PCR test first instead of possibly testing twice!!)
  • If your child has symptoms and you do not test them and do not see the doctor for an alternate diagnosis your child will need to remain home for 10 days – we are happy to switch your student to remote learning for that time.
  • If your child is negative for COVID-19 with a PCR test, they may return to school once symptoms resolved and no fever for 24 hours.  The PCR test result will need to be handed in before arrival to school (email me!)

Don’t forget to check out these helpful links where there is much more information! 
Helpful links:

Please reach out with any questions or concerns.  We’re all in this together!  Your communication and caution during this time is very much appreciated!!!

Thank you, Lisa O. Grant RN, BSN ligrant@darienps.org or 203-655-1323 ex 4203