Respiratory Health/Safety

Covid-19, Influenza and RSV for 2023-2024 School Year

On March 18, 2024 the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released new guidance on What To Do When You Are Sick With COVID-19 or Another Respiratory Virus. While much of DOH’s new guidance is similar to recent updates announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), DOH’s new guidance offers firmer recommendations on how to handle returning to normal activities after the infection of a respiratory virus, as well as more guidance on how to avoid infecting people that are at higher risk for severe illness. One of the most significant guidance changes is how long someone should stay home and away from others after contracting a respiratory virus such as COVID-19, Influenza or RSV.

The new guidance recommends that people who have COVID-19 or another respiratory virus may return to normal activities when both of the following have been true for at least 24 hours:

• Their symptoms are getting better overall
• They have not had a fever (without having to use fever-reducing medication).

When people return to normal activities, for 5 days, they should wear a mask and take additional precautions such as taking steps to practice good hand hygiene, cleaning their space regularly, and maintaining physical distance as best as possible.

When Students are Too Sick for School

Respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19, Influenza and RSV are very common in school settings. We expect families to keep their students home if they are sick. If your student has any of the symptoms below, please keep them home until they subside.

It is not unusual for student to feel great in the morning and then worse as the day goes by. Schools are not equipped for prolonged care of your sick student. We require that you or an emergency contact will pick up your sick child within the hour that you are called. Please notify your school of any changes to your emergency contacts, it is important to have a list of available contacts if we are not able to reach you.

• APPEARANCE, FATIGUE BEHAVIOR – Unusually tired, pale, lack of appetite, difficult to wake, confused or irritable

• MUSCLE OR BODY ACHES

• EYES – White or yellow drainage, vision change, and/or redness of the eyelid or skin around the eye, itchiness, pain or sensitivity to light

• FEVER OR CHILLS – Temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Student/staff member must be fever free for 24  hours before returning to school/work  

• PERSISTENT NASAL DRAINAGE AND/OR A CONSISTENT COUGH  

• SHORTNESS OF BREATH OR DIFFICULTY BREATHING/CHEST DISCOMFORT

• SORE THROAT 

• DIARRHEA – Watery stools within the last 24 hours 

• NAUSEA OR VOMITING – Vomiting within the past 24 hours 

• RASH – Body rash, especially with fever or itching  

• NEW LOSS OF TASTE OR SMELL

If your student has a contagious illness, please notify us since an exposure may be life-threatening for others with fragile immune systems or certain medical conditions. Health information with be treated confidentially.

We will notify the school staff and families of identified outbreaks of any respiratory illness. If there is an outbreak, it may be necessary to isolate for a specific period of time longer than you would otherwise to help stop the spread of Covid-19 or another respiratory virus.

People with Covid 19 are often contagious for 5-10 days after their illness begins.

People with flu may be contagious for up to 5-7 days after their illness begins.

People with RSV are usually contagious for 3-8 days after their illness begins.

 

Masks and take-home COVID-19 tests are available (while supplies last) at all schools and our central office at the Educational Service Center located at 20420 68th Avenue W, Lynnwood.