COVID-19 QUARANTINE PROTOCOLS
SOURCES
- IDPH, ISBE, CDC, TCHD, other Illinois Public School Districts, and Miller, Hall & Triggs. Items below are not cited individually by source due to the complexity of the protocols; however, Rankin acknowledges all of the above parties as source credits and does not take credit for soley creating these protocols.
- In conjunction with the District’s belief in transparency, please be aware that the COVID-19 protocols/information provided by IDPH, CDC, and TCHD are not all the same. Our District has been in regular communication with our legal counsel (Miller, Hall, and Triggs) for guidance regarding our protocols. This guidance from our legal counsel, which is utilized by our District, more closely aligns with CDC recommendations and is somewhat less restrictive than IDPH. Generally, our District is following our legal guidance, which has generally been past practice for the District.
SUBJECT TO CHANGE (last updated 12/21/20)
- This is a fluid situation and subject to change based on new information. New information from the CDC and IDPH related to shortened quarantine lengths have been released during the month of December 2020. Please see yellow below highlighting attention to these new changes that are being utilized by the District.
GUIDANCE FROM THE TAZEWELL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
- For all positive cases and for various exposure questions/issues, the District will seek immediate guidance from the Tazewell County Health Department regarding (potential closure of the physical school, how/when/what to provide in regards to communication, closing classrooms, and contact tracing etc.).
FEVER
- The District is considering greater than 100.4 as the threshold for fever.
NOTIFICATION
- The District’s staff will be self-certifying for the daily health screening, and students must present a daily admissions ticket for the daily health screening. Families and staff should notify the District of any and all positive or suspected cases. When a parent calls in a student for illness, the District will be seeking information regarding the symptoms to advise accordingly.
RELEASE LETTERS
- It is very possible that the local health departments will be overwhelmed during these times and may not get the release letters out on a timely basis. If that occurs, it is possible that the District will allow re-entry after trying to follow up. These practical steps are to protect against kids and staff being out of school simply because the system is bogged down.
TESTING
CLOSE CONTACT
- A close contact is defined as any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to positive specimen collection.
- Close contact means being within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes (cumulative throughout the day) of someone who tested positive, regardless of whether or not a cloth face covering was worn.
NURSE OR ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGMENT & CLINICAL SUSPICION
- The District nurse’s clinical suspicion and judgment and/or administrative judgment is included in the District’s protocols for COVID-19. The District includes this notice to help parents and students understand that specific situations may cause the District to provide additional restrictions, adjustments, and/or attendance restrictions for certain situations.
SYMPTOMATIC, UNTESTED
- Two-step Process to Determine Whether Symptomatic Individuals Should be Subject to Prolonged Quarantine
Step 1:
Check for the following symptoms which indicate possible COVID-19 illness that puts persons at risk for spreading the illness to others:
- Temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
- Sore throat
- New uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing (for students with chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, the baseline is a change in their cough)
- Diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain
- New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever
- Shortness of breath
Step 2:
If the individual has potential exposure to COVID-19, a quarantine should be implemented. Potential exposure by a person is defined as:
- Had close contact with a person with confirmed COVID-19 (see definition of “close contact” above).
- Traveled to or lived in an area where the local, Tribal, territorial, or state health department is reporting large numbers of COVID-19 cases.
- Live in areas of high community transmission while the school remains open.
SYMPTOMS, BUT NO POTENTIAL EXPOSURE
If the individual has any symptoms listed in Step 1, but has not had potential exposure as outlined in Step 2, generally, the individual will be excused from school in accordance with existing school illness management policy (e.g., until symptom-free for 24 hours without fever reducing medications and have had no diarrhea or vomiting in the previous 24 hours). Other diseases have specific criteria for when a student or staff member can return to school (access link below) https://dph.illinois.gov/sites/default/files/publications/commchartschool-032817.pdf.
SYMPTOMS, POTENTIAL EXPOSURE, and NEGATIVE TEST
If the individual has any symptoms listed in Step 1 and has had potential exposure as outlined in Step 2, the individual should be referred for evaluation by their healthcare provider and possible testing. Individuals who have received a negative test result, generally, will be allowed to return to school once their symptoms have otherwise improved in accordance with existing school illness management policies (e.g., until symptom-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications, have had no diarrhea or vomiting in the previous 24 hours, and in compliance with the above specific criteria for other diseases).
SYMPTOMS, POTENTIAL EXPOSURE, and NO NEGATIVE TEST
Individuals who have any of the symptoms listed in Step 1 and have had potential exposure as outlined in step 2 without negative test results should stay home, isolate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from their state or local health department. In absence of a negative test, these individuals should isolate as if they have tested positive.
- Isolate at home for 10 calendar days from the first day symptoms appeared, AND
- Fever-free without fever-reducing medication for 24 hours, AND
- No diarrhea or vomiting in the previous 24 hours, AND
- Other symptoms have improved for 24 hours.
POSITIVE TEST, SYMPTOMATIC
- Isolate at home for 10 days from the date symptoms began, AND
- Fever-free without fever-reducing medication for 24 hours, AND
- No diarrhea or vomiting in the previous 24 hours, AND
- Other symptoms have improved for 24 hours, AND
- A release letter from the TCHD is required (unless TCHD is overwhelmed and can’t provide letter in a timely manner) prior to returning to school/work.
POSITIVE TEST, ASYMPTOMATIC
- Isolate at home for 10 days from the day the test was taken. If the individual does not develop symptoms, he/she may return 10 days after the positive test was taken.
- If the individual develops symptoms, then isolation time starts on day 1 of symptoms.
- Isolate at home for 10 days from the date symptoms began, AND
- Fever-free without fever-reducing medication for 24 hours, AND
- No diarrhea or vomiting in the previous 24 hours, AND
- Other symptoms have improved for 24 hours, AND
- A release letter from the TCHD is required (unless TCHD is overwhelmed and can’t provide letter in a timely manner) prior to returning to school/work.
HAVING CLOSE CONTACT TO SOMEONE WITH A CONFIRMED OR PROBABLE POSITIVE COVID-19 CASE WITH SOMEONE NOT LIVING IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD
(Close contact means being within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes (cumulative) of someone who tested positive or is a probable positive, regardless of whether or not a cloth face covering was worn.)
Students and RANKIN STAFF will initially be assumed to be under a 10-day quarantine for close contact with a non-household member, unless the RANKIN STAFF indicates a desire or willingness to be tested (as indicated below) or there are any immediate symptoms present. A 10-day quarantine is only allowed under the following provision:
- The student or RANKIN STAFF must not have any symptoms at all for the entire duration of the 10 days; otherwise, the quarantine reverts to a normal, 14-day quarantine. The onset of any symptoms must be immediately reported to the nurse at treeise@rankin98.org
- Quarantine day #1 begins after the day of the last close contact date.
- Upon completion of the 10-day or 14-day quarantine, the following requirements apply to return:
- Fever-free without fever-reducing medication for 24 hours, AND
- Other symptoms have improved for 24 hours. AND
- No diarrhea or vomiting in the previous 24 hours, AND
- A release letter from the TCHD is required (unless TCHD is overwhelmed and can’t provide letter in a timely manner) prior to returning to school/work (click below to access a release letter) https://www.tazewellhealth.org/381/CORONAVIRUS-COVID-19
- Those in close contact should consult their physician for further guidance regarding testing options.
Shortened, 7-day Healthy Quarantine: FOR RANKIN STAFF
This provision potentially allows for a RANKIN STAFF member, who tests negative, to return to school after just 7 days. Due to the complex nature of tracking this option (i.e. test timing, types of approved tests, etc.), and to err on the side of safety, this option is only for RANKIN STAFF and not for students at this time. IDPH does not recommend this for children in daycare or k-12 schools at this time.
RANKIN STAFF = 7-day quarantine under these provisions:
- The qualifying negative test must be a PCR test, and not a rapid, antigen or antibody test.
- The test must not occur prior to day 6 of the quarantine.
- Before returning, the employee must provide the nurse with proof of the test result and be given approval to return to work. A TCHD letter is preferred; however, it may not be issued due to the shortened quarantine protocol. The TCHD link for access a letter is provided https://www.tazewellhealth.org/381/CORONAVIRUS-COVID-19 .
- The employee must not have any symptoms at all for the entire duration of the 7 days; otherwise, the quarantine reverts to a normal, 14-day quarantine. The onset of any symptoms must be reported to the nurse at treeise@rankin98.org immediately.
- Employees are not required to opt for the 7-day quarantine, nor required to be tested.
- Due to the possible delay in test results, the quarantine may result in an 8- or 9-day quarantine.
*CLOSE CONTACT WITH SOMEONE LIVING WITHIN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD AS THE POSITIVE CASE:
- If the one in close contact is quarantining within the same household as the person testing positive, the quarantine period is extended 10 days after person testing positive completes his/her isolation period.
- If the close contact becomes positive and/or develops symptoms, the isolation/quarantine period may change including extending the quarantine period following the positive contact’s isolation from 10 to 14 days.
- It’s possible the quarantine length could last up to 24 days or more depending on all of the factors involved (i.e. testing date, symptoms, and date of notification etc.)
- A release letter from the TCHD is required (unless TCHD is overwhelmed and can’t provide letter in a timely manner) prior to returning to school/work (click below to access a release letter) https://www.tazewellhealth.org/381/CORONAVIRUS-COVID-19 .
- Those in close contact should consult their physician for further guidance regarding testing options.
Additional CDC Guidelines:
The following criteria must also be met, through day 14, with either of the above quarantine options:
- correct and consistent mask use (including within homes),
- social distancing,
- hand and cough hygiene,
- environmental cleaning and disinfection,
- avoiding crowds,
- ensuring adequate indoor ventilation,
- monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19 illness, and
- minimizing contact with persons at increased risk for severe illness, including vulnerable and congregate populations.
HOUSEHOLD MEMBER/SIBLING OF A PERSON WHO HAS COVID-19 SYMPTOMS:
- Does not need to quarantine unless the person with symptoms becomes a positive, confirmed case or a probable case (probable case can be determined by a physician, local/state authority, or the school district).
HOUSEHOLD MEMBER/SIBLING OF A PERSON WHO HAS TO QUARANTINE BECAUSE OF CLOSE CONTACT TO PERSON WITH A POSITIVE CASE:
- Does not need to quarantine (i.e. 1-person removed). If the Household member/sibling develops symptoms, a need to determine if the quarantined person is now considered a probable case.
