SHRI BABA MAST NATH PUBLIC

SCHOOL ROHTAK

BY ANUSHKA DHINGRA
9 YELLOW
02
COVID-19 School Guidance

• We aim to share
information and speak
with a consistent voice to
support our school
leaders and families.
Thank You to those who are leading the guidance
Requirements for transitioning back to school

• Masking, social distancing, and cleaning measures

• Declining cases in the community
• Processes for isolation, quarantine, and contact tracing
• Adequate transportation and staffing
• Flexibility for virtual learning as needed
School leaders want to see a 10-14-day case decrease
Return to school also depends on low “positivity” rates
Important steps to ensure success

• Masking must be consistently enforced. This includes during PE

unless it is outside.
• Maintain physical distancing and cohorting of small groups,
including in the cafeteria and during transitions.
• Parents must monitor students for illness at home and be
honest about reporting.
• Students, teachers, and staff adhere to healthy habits even
when not at school.
Considerations for special needs

• Children with medical problems likely need masking even more

than others.
• Children with developmental issues may need exceptions and
patience.
• Emotional needs may be challenging.
Symptoms at school

•Students with 1 high risk or 2 low risk symptoms should be considered to

have a “COVID like illness” and be moved to a designated sick room until
they can leave. Siblings should also be sent home until its determined
whether the student had COVID.

•If someone only has 1 low risk symptom, they should be sent home and
can potentially return after 24 hours if they feel better and no further
symptoms develop. A runny nose alone is not a reason to send a child
home.
 
Exposures

• If there is a student that tests positive, then any student who

was within 6 feet of the COVID-19 positive student for more
than 15 minutes should be quarantined, even if either student
was wearing a mask.

• Contacts of contacts do not require

quarantine.
Considerations for virtual learning

• Monitor screen time

• Take breaks and maintain physical activity
• Ensure adequate oversight and supervision
• Consider getting outside help (tutor, friend, teacher)
• Maintain social interactions
Frequently asked questions
Does physical distancing take the place of a face covering?
No, physical distancing does not replace the need for a face covering.
While the ideal situation would involve both a face covering and 6-feet of
physical separation, maintaining 6-feet of separation among children will
be very challenging and space may be limited. This makes the combination
of physical distancing and face coverings important.
Can teachers wear face shields instead of masks?
The CDC recommends that, if you wear a face shield, you should still wear
a mask with it. Our physician panel stresses that adults appear to transmit
this virus more easily than children. With that in mind, the greatest risk of
transmission in our schools will be teachers passing the virus to their
students. For this reason, adults should be masked. However, if teachers
are positioned at a location within the classroom where they are 6 feet or
greater from their students, a face shield would be acceptable as long as
the shield wraps around the sides of the face and extends below the chin.
Clear masks are another viable option.
Should classrooms use partitions at each desk?

There are currently no studies to support the efficacy of

partitions in reducing the spread of respiratory droplets. Instead,
face coverings are recommended.
Is there a concern about carpet in the classrooms?

While hard surfaces are much easier to clean and disinfect appropriately,
the risk of spreading this virus via carpet remains low.
Can children play on playground equipment?

The greater number of shared touchpoints, the higher the risk of contact
spread. However, data indicates droplet spread plays a larger role in
transmission than contact spread. The benefits of playing outside may
outweigh the inherent risks of shared touchpoints. To mitigate the risk,
recommend children perform hand hygiene both before and after play,
that only one class utilizes playground equipment at a time, and that all
equipment is cleaned after each group’s use.
Can younger children play in centers?

Because younger children appear to spread this virus less efficiently

than adults do, and because of the importance of learning through
co-play and its impact on child development, our physician panel
stresses the importance of weighing risk vs. benefit. This is a situation
where the benefits may outweigh the risks. Appropriate hand hygiene
and diligent cleaning will be of utmost importance. Weather
permitting, our physician panel recommends relocating outdoors as
much as possible.