Process for a COVID-19

Case at School
What happens when someone at school gets COVID-19?

Student/Staff is confirmed positive for COVID-19 with

diagnostic test (nose/throat swab)

The school learns about the The health department learns

COVID+ case. about the COVID+ case.

School calls health department Health Department calls district's

to report. COVID-19 liaison.

School district sends School district and health Health department

a general department work together to interviews the case and
notification to identify close contacts determines isolation
parents and staff, period and any non-
protecting school contacts.
confidentiality. Close contacts are notified
by the health department
and placed into 14 day Case completes
quarantine based on their their isolation
last exposure. * period and
returns to
school.**

Close contact does not Close contact becomes

develop symptoms, symptomatic or tests
completes quarantine positive for COVID-19, and
period, and returns to is now a confirmed or
school.** probable case

*If someone is placed in quarantine, they may decide to **The health department can issue an official letter or other documentation releasing
get a COVID-19 test, but a negative result will NOT people from isolation or quarantine. Schools may use the this letter to determine when
shorten the length of the quarantine period. to allow return to school.

Version: 7/31/2020
DISCLAIMER: This information was developed based on the latest
information, but is subject to change at any time.
 Process for COVID-19
Exposure at School
How to handle symptoms and household exposures?
1.
Does student have symptoms
of COVID-19?

Yes, symptoms:
2.
Are they at higher risk of
getting COVID-19*?
Are they are a close contact
of a known COVID+ case? 3.
Are they a household
Yes, close contact: member or close contact of
a person with symptoms or a
Yes, at higher risk: The student/staff person is pending COVID-19 test?
The student is excluded from school excluded from school until 14
until: days past last known exposure to
24 hours with no fever (without COVID+ person. If one or more Yes:
fever-reducing medication) AND negative tests are received, it
Symptoms have improved AND does not change the length of Household members,
10 days since symptoms first the quarantine period, and does classmates, and other close
appeared. not allow them to return to school contacts of a symptomatic but
---OR--- early. undiagnosed person, or a
They have received a negative quarantined person may
COVID-19 test AND have met the continue to attend school and
criteria for return to school in should monitor for symptoms.
"Managing Communicable Diseases in They do not need to be
Schools" excluded from school. If
symptoms develop, they should
call their medical provider to
No, not at higher risk: be tested for COVID-19. If the
The student/staff person may return household member or contact
based on the guidance for their tests positive, they should
predominate symptoms (see follow step 2, above.
“Managing Communicable Diseases in
Schools”).
If the answers to the above
*Students at higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 include those questions are "no", and the person is
who in the past 14 days, had close contact with a person with not being isolated or quarantined
confirmed COVID-19, had close contact with person under for COVID-19, the staff or student
quarantine for possible exposure to COVID-19, or has a history may attend school.
of travel.
This is a summary document that may
not cover all scenarios. If you are
concerned about a less common
COVID-19 exposure situation at
school, please contact your local
health department for guidance.

Version: 7/31/2020 DISCLAIMER: This information was developed based on the latest information, but is subject to change at any time.
 COVID-19 Privacy
and Contacts
What happens when someone at school gets COVID-19?

1. The school and health department learn about someone with

COVID-19 (someone diagnosed with COVID-19 is a "case").
Only a select few at the school will know the identity of the person. They help the
PRIVACY IS health department figure out who were close contacts to the case. The person’s
IMPORTANT. identity is kept confidential to respect their privacy as well as following regulations
of FERPA (for schools) and HIPAA (for the health department).

2. Close contacts are identified and notified.

What is a close contact? It typically is someone being within 6 feet (about 2
arms’ length) of an infected person for at least 15 minutes.
A person with COVID-19 is considered contagious starting 2 days (48 hours)
before they started having symptoms. If they never have symptoms, they are
considered contagious starting 2 days (48 hours) before their COVID-19 test
was performed.
Close contacts are at risk of getting sick, and must be identified and be in
quarantine. Quarantine separates people who were exposed to a contagious
disease to see if they become sick.
...but what about contacts to close contacts?
Since close contacts are not yet known to be infected, the contacts to those contacts
do not need to be in quarantine and do not need to be identified or contacted.

EXAMPLE
Bob sits next to Fred in class. Fred gets sick with COVID-19. Bob needs to be
quarantined, even though he is healthy at this time. Bob plays on the football
team, and Fred does not. No one on the football team has been near Fred.
Therefore, the football team does not need to be quarantined. Hopefully, Bob
will not get sick and will be back to school and football in a couple of weeks.

Version: 7/31/2020 DISCLAIMER: This information was developed based on the latest information, but is subject to change at any time.
 Cohorts help to limit
COVID-19 contacts
Cohorts: Keep close contacts to a minimum
One technique to minimize the number of people that need to be excluded from
school is to group children together consistently.

Meet the Tadpole Pod!

This group of second graders has been assigned to a
"pod". Their classroom has 4 pods of 5 children each.
This group of students sits next to each other in the
classroom, while still staying as far apart as practicable.
They eat lunch together, travel the halls together, and go
EXAMPLES
to recess together.

Meet the Wildcat Bubble.

This group of ninth graders has been assigned to a
"bubble". There are many bubbles of 9th graders
at their school.
This group of students sits next to each other in the
classroom, while still staying as far apart as
practicable. They stay in the same room for math,
English, and history, and their teachers come to
them. They eat lunch together.
Cohorting can happen at many levels.
Small groups of 4-8 students -- breaking up a classroom, in space or time

Classroom level -- keeping classrooms as contained as possible

Because cohorts keep the

number of different people
interacting to a minimum, it's a
way to limit the number of
close contacts that need to be
Version: 7/31/2020 quarantined if one person
DISCLAIMER: This information was developed based on the latest develops COVID-19.
information, but is subject to change at any time.
How does COVID-19 spread?
DROPLETS Respiratory droplets are small particles that enter the air when we cough,
sneeze, laugh, sing, yell, and talk. Basically, they are little flecks of spit. Droplets
tend to settle out of the air after traveling several feet from the person that
released them. Droplets can also spread directly by kissing or sharing personal
items like drinks, vape pens, silverware, or other things that go from one person’s
mouth to another.

We can reduce the spread of respiratory droplets to each other by wearing face
coverings, avoiding large crowded groups, and staying more than 6 feet apart
from each other.

AEROSOLS Aerosols are even smaller particles that are created when we breathe, talk,
sing, sneeze, or cough. They are lighter and can stay in the air much longer
than respiratory droplets but dry up more quickly.

We can reduce the spread of aerosols by increasing outdoor air ventilation

or filtering air that is being recirculated.

OBJECTS Objects can spread the COVID-19 virus when respiratory droplets or aerosols
settle on them, leaving germs behind or if someone has the coronavirus on their
hands from touching their nose or mouth than touches an object. COVID-19
appears to stay on object for one to three days.

We can reduce the spread of COVID-19 by objects by frequent

handwashing, not touching our face, frequent cleaning and
disinfection, and use of automatic or touchless controls.

Version: 7/31/2020 DISCLAIMER: This information was developed based on the latest information, but is subject to change at any time.
 What are the chances of
catching COVID-19?
While the definition of a close contact for COVID-19 is being 6 feet away from an infected person
for 15 minutes or more, other factors can also come into play.

INTENSITY OF EXPOSURE
The intensity of exposure refers to how much virus you were exposed to.
Was the sick person really contagious when you were exposed to
them?
Were they coughing and sneezing without a mask on versus having
no symptoms with a mask on? Did you kiss them?
Did you share personal items like a drink or a vape pen?
Did you sit right next and have a face to face conversation with
them or were you 6 feet away with your back to them?
The more virus you are exposed to, the more likely you are to get sick.

DURATION OF EXPOSURE
The duration of exposure refers to how long were you exposed. If you were
in a classroom with someone contagious for COVID-19 for 6 hours a day
while they were contagious for several days, yet your seat was not within 6
feet of them, you may still have had a long enough duration of exposure to
that person, particularly to aerosols and objects in that classroom.

PERSONAL HEALTH
Your personal health, like how good your immune system is, also plays a
part in whether or not you will get infected, as does whether you were
using all the COVID-19 risk reduction methods possible.

AGE
Age also seems to play a part in risks for COVID-19. Children
may be at lower risk of catching COVID-19 and children may
be a lower risk of spreading COVID-19 to others, both to
other children and adults.

Version: 7/31/2020 DISCLAIMER: This information was developed based on the latest information, but is subject to change at any time.
 Who might be a close contact?

CLASSMATES LUNCH MATES PLAY MATES

Classmates sitting or often within 6 Lunch mates of person with COVID- Playmates on the playground or in
feet of someone with COVID-19, 19 if sitting within 6 feet for 15+ gym within 6 feet of someone with
either in the classroom or on the bus, minutes. This is a higher risk time as COVID-19 for 15+ minutes.
for 15+ minutes. face coverings cannot be worn.

TEAMMATES OPPOSING TEAMMATES OTHER CLASSMATES

Sports teammates within 6 feet of Opposing teammates in sporting events Any others that had interactions
someone with COVID-19 for 15+ that shared time on the field or court with someone with COVID-19
minutes. and were within 6 feet of someone with lasting over 15 minutes in confined
COVID-19 for 15+ minutes. areas such as bathrooms, office
room, where distancing of 6 feet is
difficult.

ENTIRE CLASSROOMS OTHERS

Public health authorities may determine
If the contagious individual is a that distances beyond 6 feet or less Any other person outside of
teacher and was frequently less than 15 minutes can still result in high- school that had similar exposure
than 6 feet away from students risk exposures based on other to a contagious individual is
while teaching, the entire class considerations and circumstances in considered a close contact.
may need to be on quarantine. each particular case.

Version: 7/31/2020 DISCLAIMER: This information was developed based on the latest information, but is subject to change at any time.
 When a student should stay home
or may be sent home Page 1 of 2

Students should not go to school or any school activities or sports if having symptoms of
COVID-19. If they start having symptoms of COVID-19 while at school, they will need to be sent
home. They may return based on the guidance for their diagnosis (See “Managing
Communicable Diseases in Schools”) unless they are at risk for COVID-19 exposure.
As long as there are cases of COVID-19 in the community, there will be no way to prevent all risks of COVID-19 spread
in schools. The goal is to keep the risk as low as possible and keep school and school activities as safe as possible.

If your child has been placed into isolation or quarantine for COVID-19, they may
not attend school.

1. SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 (CDC VERSION FOR K-12)

(If new, different, or worse than any longstanding conditions)
Temperature 100.4 or signs of fever (chills/sweating)
Sore throat
New uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing
Diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain
New onset of severe headache
2. IS YOUR CHILD AT RISK FOR EXPOSURE TO COVID-19?
Students are at higher risk for COVID-19 if in the past 14 days:
Had close contact with a person with confirmed COVID-19
Had close contact with person under quarantine for COVID-19

If "YES" to any questions in Section 1, and "NO" to all questions in Section 2, student
should stay out of school until they meet criteria for return based on their symptoms.
If "YES" to any question in Section 1, and "YES" to any question in Section 2, student
should stay out of school, and be evaluated by their healthcare provider and possibly
receive COVID-19 testing.
If "NO" to all questions in Section 1, and "YES" to any questions in Section 2, students need
only be excluded from school if they have had close contact to someone with confirmed
COVID-19, as they should be in quarantine.
If you are asked to get a medical evaluation for your child, you may call your health care
provider, or to follow up with a local clinic or urgent care center. You can also call 2-1-1 or go
to www.mi.gov/coronavirustest to find the closest testing location. While testing is not required,
students may need to be excluded from in-person instruction for a longer period of time.
SEE NEXT PAGE
Version: 7/31/2020
DISCLAIMER: This information was developed based on the latest
information, but is subject to change at any time.
 When a student should stay home
or may be sent home Page 2 of 2

HOW LONG MUST THEY STAY OUT OF SCHOOL?

If your child has symptoms of COVID-19, and tests positive for COVID-19
Keep out of school until it has been at least 10 days from the first day they had symptoms, they
have had 24 hours with no fever and other symptoms have improved. There is no need to
get a “negative test” or a doctor’s note to clear the child or staff to return to school if they meet
these criteria.

If your child has symptoms of COVID-19, has risk for exposure to COVID-19, and no
testing has been done (or results are pending)
Keep out of school until it has been at least 10 days from the first day they had symptoms, they
have had 24 hours with no fever and other symptoms have improved.

If your child has symptoms of COVID-19, has risk for exposure to COVID-19, and
tests negative for COVID-19
Your student may return based on the guidance for their symptoms (see “Managing
Communicable Diseases in Schools”):
Fever: at least 24 hours have passed with no fever, without the use of fever-reducing
medications
Sore throat: improvement in symptom (if strep throat: do not return until at least 2 doses of
antibiotic have been taken);
Cough/Shortness of breath: improvement in symptom
Diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain: no diarrhea or vomiting for 24 hours
Severe headache: improvement in symptom

Version: 7/31/2020 DISCLAIMER: This information was developed based on the latest information, but is subject to change at any time.