The Lawnside School District will be following NJ Department of Health Guidelines in order to keep our children safe and allow school to safely open.  Here are the following reasons and scenarios in which to keep your children home and also when to quarantine and when to get a COVID test if your child shall become ill.  Thank you for helping keep our children safe!

Signs and symptoms of COVID-19 in children may be similar to those of common viral respiratory infections or other childhood illnesses. The overlap between COVID-19 symptoms and other common illnesses means that many people with symptoms of COVID- 19 may actually be ill with something else. This is even more likely in young children, who typically have multiple viral illnesses each year. Individuals with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild to severe illness. There is not a single symptom that is uniquely predictive of a COVID-19 diagnosis so if suspected, a viral test is the only way to confirm that someone has a current COVID-19 infection. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus and include the following:

• Fever or chills;

• Cough;

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing;

• Fatigue;

• Muscle or body aches;

• Headache;

• New loss of taste or smell;

• Sore throat;

• Congestion or runny nose;

• Nausea or vomiting;

• Diarrhea.

Symptom Based Exclusion for Individuals with COVID-19 Compatible Symptoms:

Parents should not send students to school when sick. For school settings, NJDOH recommends that students with the following symptoms be promptly isolated from others and 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.

COVID-19 exclusion criteria for persons who have COVID-19 compatible symptoms or who test positive for COVID-19:

• Ill individuals with COVID-19 compatible symptoms who have not been tested or individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 should stay home until at least 10 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.

• An alternate diagnosis (including a positive strep test or influenza swab) without a negative COVID-19 test is not acceptable for individuals who meet COVID-19 exclusion criteria to return to school.

Persons who test positive for COVID-19, but who are asymptomatic should stay home for 10 days from the positive test result.

Persons who test negative for COVID-19 and symptoms have resolved may return to school with a negative COVID test provided to the nurse. 

https://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/RecommendationsForLocalHealthDepts_K12Schools.pdf

At this time Lawnside School District will be following the NJ travel restrictions set fourth by NJ Department of Health.  All staff and students traveling outside of the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) must self-quarantine 10 days.  Please advise the school nurse of any travel outside of the immediate region and self-quarantine.  This is in order to keep our school open and keep our children safe. 

Please report any absences due to travel OR illness promptly. 

https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/travel-and-transportation/are-there-travel-restrictions-to-or-from-new-jersey

Any questions or concerns don’t hesitate to call.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Nurse Laura Van Fossen

856-546-1473

lvanfossen@lawnside.k12.nj.us