Covid-19 Info

Dear Region 1 Staff, Parents and Caregivers,

          On Friday, March 15th, the CT Department of Public Health (DPH) issued a memo updating respiratory virus guidance per a  March 1 communication by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The DPH memo recommends changing school guidelines with respect to  return to school for those who have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. This updated guidance continues to protect those at most risk, and evidence indicates that it will not significantly increase severe disease related to COVID-19 or other respiratory viruses. Please click on this link to read the communication sent from the CT DPH.

    In accordance with these guidelines and starting immediately, individuals who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate from others based on their symptoms and can return to school under these circumstances:

• the individual is fever-free (100.4 or less) for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications (e.g. ibuprofen, acetaminophen) AND 

• symptoms are improving and full participation in the school/work day is possible. 

To be clear, there is no requirement to isolate for five days unless fever and symptoms persist for that length of time or longer. Students and staff can return to school as long as the aforementioned criteria are satisfied. For example, if COVID-19 symptoms and fever only last for two days, the individual may return to school as long as symptoms are improving and  they are fever free.

          Upon return to normal activities, individuals should take added precautions over the next 5 days, such as taking additional steps for hygiene, masks, physical distancing, and/or testing when they will  be around other people indoors. If the individual develops a fever or starts to feel worse after they have  gone back to school, they should isolate again until the conditions to return to normal  activities are met. This link to the CDC website provides additional helpful guidance with respect to isolation and recommended post-illness protections to prevent the virus from spreading to others. While we cannot mandate wearing masks or testing, we hope that everyone will follow these recommendations to keep students and staff safe and in school. 

          Thank you for taking the time to read this information and for following the updated recommendations. As always, building administrators and school nurses are available to address any questions you may have about the information included in this letter and/or the resources included from the CT DPH and CDC.

Best wishes for a wonderful spring and for a great finish to the school year!

Sincerely,

Lisa B. Carter, Superintendent, Region 1 Schools