Nurse's Office

 Dear Parent/Guardian,

 Guidelines from the New Jersey Department of Health were revised on December 15,   2021.  Their guidance is based on what is currently known about the transmission and   severity of COVID-19 and is subject to change as additional information is learned. 

 Please, monitor your children for signs of illness every day.  You are the front line for   assessing illness in your children.  Students and staff who are sick should not attend   school in person.  We need your continued support as we implement a layered   prevention strategy to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our schools:

Stay Home When Sick or if Exposed to COIVD-19

• Students and staff stay home stay are asked to stay home and notify school nurse if tested positive (viral test) for COVID-19.
• Students and staff stay are asked to stay home if sick or experiencing COVID-19 compatible symptoms (regardless of vaccination status)
• Students and staff stay are asked to stay home and notify school nurse if not fully vaccinated and have had close contact with a person with COVID-19

Symptoms

• Parents should not send students to school when sick. Students with the following symptoms are excluded from school:
  • At least two of the following symptoms: fever (measure or subjective), chills, rigors (shivers), myalgia (muscle aches), headache, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, congestion, or runny nose OR
  • At least one of the following symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new olfactory disorder, new taste disorder

Stay Home if any Sibling/Household Member is Symptomatic

• Unvaccinated sibling(s) of a student who has symptoms are excluded from school until the symptomatic individual receives a negative test result.  If the symptomatic individual tests positive, the sibling(s) will need to quarantine.

Exclusion Criteria for Individuals with Symptoms or who Test Positive for COVID-19

• Individuals who test positive or individuals with COIVD-19 symptoms who have not been tested should stay home until at least ten days have passed since symptom onset and at least 24 hours have passed after resolution of fever without fever reducing medications and improvement in symptoms. 

Exclusion Criteria for Close Contacts Not Fully Vaccinated

• Exposed close contacts who have no COVID-19 symptoms and are not fully vaccinated:
  • Quarantine at home and test 5 – 7 days after their last exposure or immediately if symptoms develop.
  • If negative, continue to quarantine at home for a full 7 days.

Exclusion Criteria for Close Contacts Fully Vaccinated

• Exposed close contacts who have no COVID-19 symptoms and are fully vaccinated:
  • Do not need to quarantine or be excluded from school/
  • Should be tested 5-7 days following an exposure
  • Should still monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days following an exposure
  • Should wear a mask in other indoor public settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.

Stay Home After Travel

• Domestic and International Travel lasting 24 hours or longer to any state other than PA, NY, and DE:
  • unvaccinated should get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel, even if they test negative.
  • If testing not completed post-travel, self-quarantine for 10 days.
• International travelers who are fully vaccinated test 3-5 days after travel, self-monitor for symptoms, and isolate and get tested IF symptoms develop.

Stay Home if any Sibling/Household Member is Symptomatic

• Unvaccinated siblings of a student who has symptoms is excluded from school until the symptomatic individual receives a negative test result.  If the symptomatic individual tests positive, the sibling will need to quarantine.

Tests

• Audubon Public School District will be hosting in-district COVID 19 testing for students on most Wednesdays from 4:00 PM through 6:30 PM. The testing is an anterior-nasal swab (a short swab no longer than a typical Q-tip). The swab is inserted into the front portion of the nostril and only takes a few seconds to collect. This is a non-invasive collection method. The testing sessions will occur at the Mansion Avenue Elementary School, 300 Mansion Avenue, Audubon, New Jersey, 08106
• Home-based tests can be used for screening staff/students without symptoms and without close contact exposure
• Home-based tests can be used to shorten quarantine from 10 to 7 days after travel
  • NOT to be used to determine whether symptomatic individuals may return to school
  • NOT to be used to shorten quarantine from 10 to 7 days after exposure to a COVID-19 case
  • ONLY a PCR test collected within 48 hours of a positive home or rapid viral test can be used to negate a false positive

Vaccination

• Children ages 5 through 18 years old are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccination.
• Vaccination is NOT required for school attendance
• If you are having your child vaccinated, please sent in the vaccination documentation so that it can be recorded in your child’s school health record.
• The K-12 guidelines from the New Jersey Department of Health state the following regarding fully vaccinated:
  • People are considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2 dose series.
  • Regardless of vaccination status, if a student or staff experiences COVID-compatible symptoms, they should isolate themselves from others, be clinically evaluated for COVID-19, and tested for COVID-19.
  • Exposed close contacts who have no COVID-like symptoms and are fully vaccinated:
  • Do not need to quarantine, be excluded from school.
  • Should be tested 5-7 days following exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
  • Should still monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days following an exposure.
  • Should wear a mask in other indoor public settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.
  • If they experience symptoms, they should isolate, be clinically evaluated for COID-19, including testing. 

We appreciate your continued support as we strive to keep the health and safety of our school community a priority. 

Sincerely,

Audubon Public School District Nurses

Haviland Avenue Elementary School Nurse

Ann Rossi-Alston, R.N., B.S.N.

(856) 546-4922 x6207

arossi-alston@audubonschools.org