On February 22, Public Health Sudbury and Districts and local school boards issued a joint letter to parents and families of students to share new and updated protocols for COVID-19 screening. Effective February 19, 2021, students and children with any new or worsening symptoms of COVID-19, even those with only one symptom, are required to stay home.
A child with symptoms will be required to isolate at home until:
- They receive a negative COVID-19 test result OR
- They receive an alternative diagnosis by a health care professional OR
- It has been 10 days since their symptom onset and they are feeling better.
In addition to the sick child staying home, everyone else in the household, such as siblings and parents/guardians, is required to stay home from school and work for the same time period. Additionally:
- If the ill child is not tested for COVID-19: all household contacts must isolate for 14 days from their last contact with the child.
- If the child is tested for COVID-19: the child must remain in isolation at home and cannot attend school in-person while waiting for the appointment/test results. All household contacts, even if asymptomatic, are also required to stay home.
- If testing is recommended by a health care provider and/or the ‘COVID-19 Screening Tool for Children in School and Child Care‘ and the parents decide to NOT have the child tested: the child child must stay home and self-isolate for 10 days from when their symptoms started. All household contacts must isolate for 14 days from their last contact with the child.
- If the child tests positive for COVID-19: PHSD will receive the results directly from the lab and will contact the caretakers/parents to provide further direction and guidance.
- If the child tests negative for COVID-19, if testing is not recommended, and/or an alternative diagnosis is provided: household members can end their isolation and the child may return to school/daycare if they are meeting the following criteria:
- They do not have a fever (without using medication); AND
- Their symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours (or at least 48 hours if their symptoms were vomiting/diarrhea); AND
- They were not in close contact with someone who currently has COVID-19.
- When a child is dismissed from school: if a child is dismissed from school because they are identified as high-risk close contact of a case, all household members are required to stay home except for essential reasons such as attending work, school, or going for groceries.
Read the complete letter from Public Health Sudbury & Districts here.