COVID-19 and Schools/Education

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Frequently Asked Questions for TK-12 and Programs Serving Children or Youth

NOTE: The California Public Health Department (CDPH) strongly recommends that schools utilize (or begin transitioning to) the notification-based model provided in Group Tracing Approach to Students Exposed to COVID-19 in a K-12 setting. In this approach, students are notified of their exposure and test 3-5 days after BUT stay in school regardless of vaccination status (unless symptomatic or test positive).

(NOTE: Each FAQ is followed by a parenthetical indicating whether the FAQ applies to TK-12 schools, programs for children or youth, or both.)

Face Coverings

1. Are face coverings required? (TK-12; Programs for Children/Youth)

   After March 11, 2022, face coverings will no longer be required by the County or State in schools or childcare facilities. However, the County of Santa Clara Health Officer and California Department of Public Health strongly recommend that all persons wear face coverings when indoors. For more information, see CDPH’s COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools.  Schools, childcare programs, and other programs serving children or youth may choose to require face coverings when indoors and/or outdoors.

   NOTE: Face coverings are still required in certain settings (e.g. healthcare facilities) by the State’s Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings and Cal/OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standards (“Cal/OSHA ETS”).

Ventilation and Air Filtration

2. Are portable air purifiers helpful in reducing COVID-19 transmission risk? (TK-12; Programs for Children/Youth)

   Portable air purifiers can provide additional protection from COVID-19 exposure, depending on the type of filter used (high efficiency filtration) and the clean air delivery rate (CADR). Multiple devices per classroom may be necessary. For more information, please see the CDPH’s Interim Guidance for Ventilation, Filtration, and Air Quality in Indoor Environments.

COVID-19 Screening, Testing, Reporting, and Response

Updated 4/6/2022 - In general, students/youth who have been exposed to a COVID-19 case AND are asymptomatic may remain in school/childcare, but they should get tested 3-5 days after exposure. They are also strongly recommended to wear a mask for 10 days whenever near others. Exceptions and other considerations may apply. For more information, Please see CDPH’s COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools and Guidance for Childcare Providers and Programs webpages for more information.

3. What do employers and staff need to know about COVID-19 isolation and quarantine?

   Staff in schools or programs for children/youth are required to follow isolation and quarantine guidelines for the general public. For more information, see the State’s Guidance for Local Health Jurisdictions on Isolation and Quarantine of the General Public.

4. When are staff (18 years of age or older) considered “up to date” for the purposes of contact tracing and quarantine? (TK-12)
   1. Received their booster dose
   2. Completed their initial vaccine series at least 14 days ago but are not yet booster eligible, OR
   3. Had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days.

   Adults (18+) who complete an initial vaccine series and are booster-eligible but have not yet received a booster are not considered “up to date” for the purposes of contact tracing and quarantine. Students and staff must follow quarantine guidance based on their vaccination status at the time of exposure, even if they subsequently meet the definition of “up to date.”

5. Do students/youth still need to quarantine if they were exposed to someone with COVID-19? (TK-12; Programs for Children/Youth)

   Updated 4/6/2022 - In general, students/youth who have been exposed to a COVID-19 case AND are asymptomatic may remain in school/childcare, but they should get tested 3-5 days after exposure. They are also strongly recommended to wear a mask for 10 days whenever near others. Exceptions and other considerations may apply. Please see CDPH’s COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools and Guidance for Childcare Providers and Programs webpages for more information.

6. If my child has runny nose or congestion but no other symptoms of COVID-19, should he/she stay home from school? (TK-12)

   Many school age children will have symptoms of runny nose throughout the school year due to a range of conditions. It would be unlikely for a child to experience runny nose as the only symptom of COVID-19, and preventing children with only a runny nose from going to school would likely lead to unnecessary school absences. If a child has a runny nose but no other symptoms of COVID-19, it would be reasonable to allow that child to remain at school, provided the child does not develop any other symptoms of COVID-19.

7. If a student or staff member has COVID-like symptoms, when is a doctor’s note needed before returning to school? (TK-12)

   If a student or staff person, who is not a close contact to a confirmed COVID-19 case, has COVID-like symptoms that may be common to a variety of illnesses, the person should get tested. If the test result is negative, the student or staff member can return to school when at least 24 hours have passed since resolution of any fever (without the use of fever-reducing medications) and other symptoms have improved. The negative test result should be provided to the school, and a doctor’s note is not needed.

   A doctor’s note is only needed before returning to school if:

   1. the symptoms experienced are identical to those of a documented underlying chronic condition(e.g., asthma or diabetes); or
   2. the healthcare provider determined, through a medical evaluation of the person, that there is an alternative, named diagnosis(e.g., streptococcal pharyngitis or coxsackievirus) that explains the symptoms experienced.

   For a doctor’s note to be valid documentation of the above situations, the doctor must provide a written explanation that includes all of the following: certification that a medical evaluation was completed; an alternative explanation for symptoms; and a statement that COVID-19 testing is not indicated.

8. When can a case or close contact return to school? (TK-12)

   Students who tested positive or were exposed to COVID-19 can return to school if they meet the criteria detailed in the Return to School Letter.

   Updated 1/19/22: Return to School Letter (PDF) :
   | English | Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese | Tagalog |

   Anyone who was not a close contact but who has symptoms of COVID-19 IS required to have a negative test or a medical note that details an alternative explanation for the symptoms (see FAQ #7) before returning to school.

   Individuals who refuse testing and/or evaluation should be treated as a COVID-19 case and can return based on the usual isolation criteria of 5 days after symptom onset and 24 hours after resolution of fever and improvement of other symptoms.

   NOTE: The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department endorses and supports the use of at-home testing for all situations in which COVID-19 tests are recommended or required for return to in-person school and childcare settings. Specifically, FDA-authorized antigen home tests may be used to return to school or childcare settings after COVID-19 exposure or isolation in accordance with COVID-19 Guidelines for the General Public, CDPH’s COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools, and CDPH’s Guidance for Child Care Providers and Programs.

   NOTE: Schools and childcare settings do not need to require in-person or video monitoring of home tests in order to consider them a valid test result. Instead, schools should follow CDPH guidance for documentation of home test performance, which include options to request photos of labeled test kits, signed attestation forms, or input of testing data into apps provided by the testing companies (see Over-The-Counter-Tests-LHJ-Guidance (ca.gov)).

9. When can a case or close contact return to childcare? (Programs for Children/Youth)

   Children who test positive for COVID-19 can return to childcare or other programs for children/youth when requirements for ending isolation are met. Children who are exposed to COVID-19 who do not have symptoms may continue to attend childcare, regardless of their vaccination status, and are recommended to test 3-5 days after last exposure. View the COVID-19 Decision Tree for TK-12 and Childcare – Updated 5/6/22 | English | Spanish | Vietnamese |) for more on isolation and quarantine requirements.

   Children who are exposed to COVID-19 who do not have symptoms may continue to attend childcare, regardless of their vaccination status, and are recommended to test 3-5 days after last exposure. View the 2021-2022 COVID-19 Decision Tree for Childcare (Updated 3/28/22) for more on quarantine requirements.

   NOTE: The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department endorses and supports the use of at-home testing for all situations in which COVID-19 tests are recommended or required for return to in-person school and childcare settings. Specifically, FDA-authorized antigen home tests may be used to return to school or childcare settings after COVID-19 exposure, quarantine, or isolation in accordance with COVID-19 Guidelines for the General Public, CDPH’s COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools, and CDPH’s Guidance for Child Care Providers and Programs.

   NOTE: Schools and childcare settings do not need to require in-person or video monitoring of home tests in order to consider them a valid test result. Instead, schools should follow CDPH guidance for documentation of home test performance, which include options to request photos of labeled test kits, signed attestation forms, or input of testing data into apps provided by the testing companies (see Over-The-Counter-Tests-LHJ-Guidance (ca.gov)).

10. How should we notify families of COVID-19 cases in the school or program? (TK-12; Programs for Children/Youth)

    CDPH’s COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools strongly recommends that schools utilize (or begin transitioning to) the notification-based model provided in Group Tracing Approach to Students Exposed to COVID-19 in a K-12 setting. In this approach, students are notified of their exposure, test 3-5 days after, and stay in school regardless of vaccination status (unless symptomatic or test positive).
    
    View a Sample Group Tracing Notification Letter to Parents/Guardians of Students Exposed to COVID-19 in School (updated 3/14/22) here: | English | Spanish | Vietnamese |

11. Should students, teachers, and other school staff be routinely tested? (TK-12)

    CDPH’s K-12 school-based COVID-19 testing strategies for school year 2021-22 outlines the State’s recommendations and support for testing of students, teachers, and other school staff.  In addition to testing of symptomatic individuals and close contacts, screening testing can be helpful in preventing COVID-19 transmission on campus.

Miscellaneous

12. Are schools allowed to release personally identifiable information, including health information, from students’ education records to the County Public Health Department without parental or student consent? (TK-12)

    The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records, which generally includes all student information in the possession of schools. In general, school districts and public schools (and other schools receiving federal funds) must obtain consent from a parent or guardian before disclosing personally identifiable information from students’ education records. But exceptions to FERPA’s general consent rule allow schools to share certain records and information without prior consent in certain circumstances.

    In its guidance regarding FERPA and how school officials can help slow the spread of COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Education confirms that schools can share information without prior consent when, in connection with an emergency such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, sharing information with public health officials is necessary to protect the health or safety of students or other individuals. In order to prevent and control the spread of disease through case investigation and contact tracing, this may include information such as whether a student has tested positive for COVID-19, their household contacts, and their parents’ or guardians’ contact information.

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Archives and Past Guidance

• Guidance for Schools Testing – June 4, 2021
• COVID-19 Prepared: Reopening Santa Clara County K-12 Schools for the 2020-2021 School Year – December 14, 2020 | English | Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese | Tagalog |
• K-12 COVID-19 Childhood Transmission Scientific Summary (last updated Nov. 20, 2020)
• Letter from Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody and Superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Dewan on childhood vaccinations and wellness care for the upcoming school year – July 23, 2020. PDF: | English | Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese | Tagalog |
• Science Behind the K-12 School Guidance – July 17, 2020 (PDF​) - The Santa Clara County Public Health Department hosted a webinar to discuss the science behind the K-12 school guidance, released on June 30, 2020. The webinar was intended to provide an overview highlighting current scientific data behind the recent public health recommendations. This overview is not comprehensive but highlights themes and key articles and reports relevant to school settings. Our understanding of COVID-19 is rapidly evolving. Santa Clara County Public Health Department will continue to monitor emerging research and provide updated information and recommendations.
• Which school districts have received approval for their waiver applications to re-open elementary schools for in-person instruction?
• A Parent's Guide to Reopening of Santa Clara County K-12 Schools - September 21, 2020 PDF: | English | Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese | Tagalog |
• List of Elementary School Waiver Applications
• Statement of the County of Santa Clara Regarding the Governor’s Announcement​ – July 17, 2020
• Guidance for Graduation/Recognition of Graduates – June 5, 2020
• Guidance for Child Care and Preschool Settings– February 13, 2020
• Guidance for Schools and Students Update – February 10, 2020 - | Chinese | Spanish | Vietnamese |
• Letter to Colleges & Universities on Novel Coronavirus Update – February 5, 2020
• Letter to Colleges & Universities on Novel Coronavirus – February 3, 2020
• Recorded livestream of County Public Health Department and Office of Education leaders sharing School Settings guidance with news media - June 30, 2020