COVID 19

We'd like to help our community understand the difference between isolation and quarantine. Isolating and quarantining are tools we use to reduce COVID-19 transmission rates, and in turn, keep our schools open and safe. 

WHAT IS AN ISOLATION?

A person is in isolation after displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or tests positive and is kept home for 10 days or until they are no longer infectious. 

• When in isolation you must stay home and away from others. Only have contact with those who are providing you care. 
• Do not go out in public, except to seek medical treatment. 
• Isolation lasts for at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms, and until an individual is 24 hours without fever. The isolation period is 10 days because most people positive with COVID are no longer infectious after 10 days. 

WHAT IS A QUARANTINE?

A person who was in close contact with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19 or who is displaying COVID-19 like symptoms are sent home to quarantine for 14 days. 

• When in quarantine you must stay home, avoid all public places and keep away from others who are not part of your immediate family.
• Do not go out in public, except to seek medical treatment. 
• Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with the individual who has, or is suspected to have, the virus. The quarantine period is 14 days for a close contact because symptoms may appear two to 14 days after their last known exposure to the virus.
• If an individual in quarantine lives in the same household as a symptomatic person in isolation, the close contact must remain home for the 10 days of isolation and then quarantine for 14 more days to ensure they do not develop symptoms. 
• If you become symptomatic during a quarantine, you should notify the school immediately. In addition, you should get tested to avoid further spread of the disease. If you test positive, you will need to be placed in isolation, and then follow the guidelines listed above.  

The district works closely with El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH) regarding response to and the prevention of the spread of COVID-19. EPCPH and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) have issued guidance for schools and child care centers on addressing COVID-19 cases and outbreaks, which can be found online: 

• https://covid19.colorado.gov/cases-and-outbreaks-child-care-schools 
• https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/schools-child-care-and-online-learning

Guidance from EPCPH includes notification of impacted persons. Some contact tracing and notification is conducted by EPCPH and some of it will be done by the school. Those individuals determined to be at risk of exposure to COVID-19, due to symptoms or a positive case, will be notified directly.

HOW WE NOTIFY?

Messages will be sent to parents and staff in cohorts if isolation or quarantine of the cohort is required or recommended by EPCPH, if there is a positive case in the cohort, or if there is an outbreak in a cohort. School wide messages will be sent to staff and parents if there are any positive cases in the school, an outbreak of COVID-19 in a school, or a school is required or recommended to close. District wide messages will be sent to staff and parents if there is an outbreak in the district that requires the entire district to close.

REPORTING POSITIVE CASES

All positive case reporting is done in conjunction with EPCPH and reflected in their community database, which can be found at: https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/covid19data-dashboard In all cases, the names of individuals within the district who are affected by COVID-19 will be kept confidential. The district has a legal obligation to uphold HIPPA privacy rules and will follow the policies of local and state health departments.