Staying Home and Returning to School Guidelines

CDC guidelines here are provided as a reference and not a substitute for calling your primary care provider or seeking medical treatment in an emergency.  Contact the school’s Pandemic Coordinator with questions or concerns at covid19@swasd.org or 570-327-1581 Ext 4473.

Symptoms but Not Exposed to COVID-19

IF a student/staff stayed home from school because the home screening showed ONE symptom in Group A or TWO symptoms in Group B on the home screening questionnaire, but did not

  • Have close contact (within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes) with a person with confirmed COVID-19

OR

OR

  • Live in areas of high community transmission while school remains open (Community Mitigation Framework)

THEN, the student would be excused from school in accordance with existing school illness management policy (e.g., until resolution of symptoms and fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medications).  The student may be referred to healthcare provider for further evaluation for the safety of all.

Symptoms AND Exposed to COVID-19

IF a student stayed home from school because the home screening showed ONE symptom in Group A or TWO symptoms in Group B on the home screening questionnaire, and the student

  • Had close contact with a person with confirmed COVID-19

OR

  • Traveled to or lives in an area where the local, Tribal, territorial, or state health departments is reporting large numbers of COVID-19 cases

OR

  • Lives in areas of high community transmission while school remains open

THEN, the student should be referred for evaluation by their healthcare provider and possible testing.

Negative Test Results after Symptoms

Students who have received a negative test result should be allowed to return to school once their symptoms have otherwise resolved, are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of a fever reducing medication, and with verification from physician / primary care provider of contact and treatment order.

Isolation at School due to Symptoms 

Students who develop symptoms while at school will be placed in an isolation area separate from staff and other students while awaiting pick-up.  Accurate emergency contact information is vital to minimize the time a student will be in isolation.  The student may be referred to healthcare provider for further evaluation for the safety of all and verification from physician / primary care provider of contact and treatment order may be requested.

Home Isolation

Students who have COVID-19 or who have symptoms and were directed by a physician / primary care provider to receive care at home, may discontinue isolation and return to school / work under all of the following conditions:

  • 10 days from the onset of symptoms
  • Resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications for the previous 24 hours
  • Improvement of respiratory symptoms
  • With verification from physician / primary care provider of contact and treatment order.