COVID-19

Operating schools during COVID-19: CDC’s Considerations

Updates have been made to reflect the new school resources and tools released on July 23rd and 24th, as well as the latest COVID-19 information.

Changes to the considerations as of August 21, 2020:

  • Advanced considerations for planning and preparing schools before opening
  • Updated ventilation considerations
  • Updated food service considerations
  • Updated considerations for students who may not be able to wear masks
  • Updated considerations for students with special health needs and disabilities
  • Updated considerations on cohort, staggering, and switching strategies
  • Updated considerations for identifying signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and screening
  • Updated coping and support considerations
  • Updated considerations for making accommodation plans
  • Updated considerations for Direct Service Providers (DSPs)

Considerations for schools

As communities in the United States consider how to safely reopen K-12 school buildings and personal services, CDC is providing updated considerations on mitigation strategies that K-12 school administrators can use to protect students, teachers, and staff and slow the spread of COVID -19. These updated considerations for schools are designed to help school administrators protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of students, teachers, staff, their families, and communities:

  1. Promote behaviors that reduce the spread of COVID-19
  2. Maintain a healthy environment
  3. Maintaining a healthy operation
  4. Prepare when someone gets sick

Schools, in collaboration with state and local health authorities, should determine as much as possible whether and how these considerations should be implemented while adapting to the particular needs and circumstances of the local population. The implementation should be based on what is feasible, practical, acceptable and tailored to the needs of each community. It is also critical to develop strategies that can be revised and adjusted based on the levels of virus transmission in the school and across the community, and that are in close communication with state and / or local health officials and recognize the differences between school districts . including urban, suburban and rural areas. These considerations should complement:do not replace– All federal, state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations that schools must comply with (e.g., Disability Awareness Act)external symbol

School-based health care facilities may refer to the CDC guidelines for US health care facilities and may find it helpful to point out the ten ways health systems can function effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guiding principles to be observed

Everyone's goal is to prioritize the reopening of schools as safely and quickly as possible given the many known and established benefits of personal learning. To make this possible and to support the schools in their daily work, it is important to take and carefully implement measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 within the school and outside the community. By being vigilant about these measures, the risk of transmission in school will be reduced regardless of the underlying burden on the community. Risk is lowest when community transmission is low and good mitigation strategies are implemented carefully.

The statement The Importance of Reopening American Schools This Fall shows that parents and principals are very concerned about schools reopening but understandably concerned about the health and safety of their children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Children and COVID-19

In general, children with COVID-19 have less severe symptoms than adults or an asymptomatic infection – meaning they have no signs or symptoms of any illness (1-7).

Analysis of pediatric COVID-19 hospital data from 14 states from early March to late July 2020 found that the cumulative rate of COVID-19-associated hospital stays in children over 20 times lower compared to adults (8.0 versus 164 .5 per 100,000 population) (8). . Although the cumulative rate is low, every third child hospitalized with COVID-19 has been admitted to an intensive care unit, so the risk is not negligible (8). Likewise, the mortality rate among school-age children is much lower than among adults (9, 10). The comparatively low risk of hospitalization and death in children themselves must also be related to the risk for teachers, school administrators and other employees in the school environment. The risk faced by teachers, school administrators, and other school staff is expected to be the same as that of other adults in the community if they receive COVID-19.

However, the best available evidence from countries that have reopened schools shows that COVID-19 poses a low risk for school-age children – at least in areas with low community transmission. However, there is growing evidence that children of all ages are prone to SARS-CoV-2 infections (3-7) and, contrary to previous reports (11, 12), may play a role in transmission (7, 13) 14).

The many benefits of personal schooling should be weighed against the risks posed by the spread of COVID-19. In the best interests of the students, face-to-face learning is of key importance compared to virtual learning. Applying and complying with the measures contained in this document and similar measures carried out in key workplaces can help ensure that schools reopen and remain open safely for personal learning.

Decide how to reopen

School officials should make school reopening decisions based on the data available, including the level of community transmission and their ability to implement appropriate mitigation measures in schools to protect students, teachers, administrators and other staff. Schools should also consider other aspects of student risk and well-being that may arise if schools are not reopened to face-to-face teaching. This includes the potential adverse effects on the socio-emotional, behavioral, and mental health of students, as well as the critical services offered to students to address health inequalities and serve children in need, such as: B. School feeding programs and special education services – School programs and mental health services.

The unique and critical role schools play makes them a priority for reopening and keeping open so that students can receive academic instruction as well as provide other vital services and support. By strictly implementing mitigation strategies, schools can meet the needs of their students and their community while reducing the risk of COVID-19 spreading.

Take steps to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading

COVID-19 is mainly spread through respiratory droplets released when speaking, coughing, or sneezing. It is possible for a person to contract COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own eyes, nose, or mouth. Therefore, personal prevention practices (such as hand washing, staying at home if sick) and environmental cleaning and disinfection are important principles that are discussed below. Fortunately, there are a number of steps school administrators can take to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and spreading it during school hours and activities.

In order to achieve the goal of reopening schools for personal learning as safely and quickly as possible, and helping schools stay open, it is important to take steps and carefully implement measures to keep the spread of COVID-19 within and outside of school to slow down in the community. This means that students, families, teachers, school staff, and all community members take steps to protect themselves and others where they live, work, study, and play.

Continuum of risk

According to the learning model and implementation of proven mitigation strategies

In general, the risk of spreading COVID-19 in schools increases across the continuum from virtual, hybrid to personal learning, with the risk of hybrid and personal learning being moderated based on the set of mitigation strategies put in place and the extent they are scrupulously followed .

This stratification, while not exhaustive, attempts to characterize the risks of spread between students, teachers, and staff on this continuum:

Lowest Risk:

  • Students and teachers take part in purely virtual classes, activities and events

Some risk:

  • Hybrid learning model: some students participate in virtual learning, others in personal learning
  • Small personal courses, activities and events
  • Cohorts, rotating schedules, and tiered schedules are rigorously applied
  • No mixing of groups of students and teachers during / across school days
  • Students and teachers do not share objects
  • Students, teachers, and staff follow all steps to keep themselves and others safe at all times, including proper use of face masks, social distancing, and hand hygiene
  • Regularly scheduled (i.e. at least daily or between uses) cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched areas, done with accuracy

Average risk:

  • Hybrid learning model: Most students participate in personal learning, some students participate in virtual learning
  • Larger personal courses, activities, and events
  • With a few exceptions, cohort, switching and grading plans are used
  • Some mix-ups of groups of students and teachers during / across the school days
  • Students and teachers share objects only minimally
  • Students, teachers and staff take all steps to protect themselves and others, such as: B. Proper use of face masks, social distancing, and hand hygiene
  • Regular cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched areas largely true to the original

Higher risk:

  • Students and teachers only learn in person, activities and events
  • Students mix minimally between classes and activities
  • Students and teachers share some objects
  • Students, teachers and staff follow a few steps to protect themselves and others at all times, such as: B. Proper use of face masks, social distancing, and hand hygiene
  • Irregular cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched areas

Highest risk:

  • Students and teachers only learn in person, activities and events
  • Students mingle freely between classes and activities
  • Students and teachers freely share objects
  • Students, teachers and staff do not need to follow any steps to protect themselves or others, such as: B. Proper use of face masks, social distancing, and hand hygiene
  • Irregular cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched areas

Plan and prepare

Contingency plans: review, update and implementation of EOPs

The main actions school administrators take before reopening personal services and facilities are: plan and prepare. To best prepare, schools should expect students, teachers, or staff to experience symptoms compatible with COVID-19, and schools need to know what to do when this happens. Regardless of the number of cases in a community, every school should have a plan to protect staff, children, and their families from the spread of COVID-19, and a response plan for students, teachers, or staff members who test positive for COVID-19. This plan should be developed in collaboration with state and local health authorities. School nurses, parents, caregivers, and guardians; Student leader; Community members; and other relevant partners. Schools should prioritize EOP components that address infectious disease outbreaks and their consequences.

  • Refer to key contingency resources as you review, update, and implement the EOP.

School nurses, teachers, staff, parents, student leaders, and other community stakeholders (e.g. youth welfare organizations, health centers, etc.) should be involved in developing the Emergency Operations Plans (EOP). Some of the strategies school administrators should consider when developing their EOP:

  • Develop a log to monitor local COVID-19 data in your community to track levels of transmission in the community, make decisions about changes to mitigation strategies, and determine whether school closings may be necessary. This should include the daily review of official public health data for the community surrounding the school. Contact the state, local, tribal, or territorial health department for guidance on local COVID-19 data.
  • Develop and test systems for exchanging information (e.g. school-to-parent email or SMS logs, regular virtual meetings with parents / teachers, etc.) with school and community partners and key stakeholders. Use institutional information systems for daily reporting of information that can help detect and respond to an outbreak, such as: B. Number of cases and absenteeism or changes in the number of visits by students, teachers and other staff to the health center.
  • Adopt mitigation strategies to promote healthy behavior that will reduce the spread of COVID-19, maintain a healthy school environment and operations, and plan what to do if a student, teacher, or staff member falls ill.
  • Investigate the accessibility of information and resources to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and maintain a healthy environment, and determine whether they are culturally relevant, available in clear text, and in appropriate languages ​​and accessible formats.
  • In consultation with local officials, establish transparent criteria as to when the school will suspend face-to-face learning to stop or slow the spread of COVID-19, as well as transparent criteria for resuming face-to-face learning.
  • Assess students' special needs (such as continuing education, meal programs, and other services) and develop strategies to address those needs if personal learning is disrupted or if a student is self-isolating due to diagnosis or exposure to COVID-19 .
  • Make sure the EOP takes into account students with disabilities, students with special health needs, students with homelessness, students with an immigrant background and students with knowledge of English, etc.

Promote behaviors that reduce the spread of COVID-19

Schools may consider implementing various strategies to encourage behaviors that will reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Stay at home if necessary

Let staff and families know when they / their children should stay home and when they can return to school.

  • Actively encourage staff and students who are sick or who have recently had close contact (less than 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with someone with COVID-19 to stay at home. Develop guidelines that encourage sick staff and students to stay home without fear of retaliation, and ensure that staff, students, and student families are aware of these guidelines. Consider not evaluating schools based on absenteeism and offering virtual learning and teleworking options when possible.
  • Staff and students should stay home if they test positive for or show symptoms of COVID-19.
  • Staff and students who have recently had close contact with someone with COVID-19 should also stay home and monitor their health.
  • CDC's criteria can help inform when employees should return to work:

Hand hygiene and breathing etiquette

  • Teach and intensify hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and intensify monitoring to ensure compliance among students and staff.
  • Encourage staff and students to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Used tissues should be thrown in the trash and hands should be washed immediately with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol should be used (for employees and older children who can safely use hand sanitizer).

Masks

  • Teach and reinforce the use of masks. Using masks is one of many important mitigation strategies to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Masks are designed to protect others in the event that the wearer is unwittingly infected but has no symptoms. Masks are not personal protective equipment (PPE) (e.g. surgical masks, respirators).
  • Appropriate and consistent use of masks is most important when students, teachers, and staff are indoors, and when social distancing is difficult to implement or maintain. People should be reminded frequently not to touch the face covering or mask and to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer frequently. Staff, students, and student families should be instructed on the proper use, removal, and washing of masks.
  • Masks should Not be placed on:
    • Children under 2 years
    • Anyone who has difficulty breathing or is passed out
    • Anyone unable to act or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance
    • Younger students, e.g. B. in early elementary school (Pre-K to 3rd grade).
    • Students, teachers and staff with severe asthma or other breathing difficulties.
    • Students, teachers and staff with special educational or health needs, including intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental illness, and sensory concerns or tactile sensitivity.
  • While masks are highly recommended to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, CDC recognizes that there are certain instances where wearing a mask may not be possible. In these cases, parents, guardians, caregivers, teachers, staff and school administrators should consider adjustments and alternatives whenever possible. They may need to contact healthcare providers for advice on wearing masks.
  • People who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who care for or interact with a hearing impaired person, may not be able to wear masks if they rely on reading to communicate. This may be particularly relevant for teachers or staff who teach or work with deaf or hard of hearing students. In this situation, you should use a clear mask that covers your nose and wraps around your face securely. If a clear mask is not available, see if faculty and staff can use written communications (including subtitles) and reduce background noise to improve communication while wearing a mask that will block your lips.
  • Masks are recommended as a simple barrier to prevent breath droplets from getting into the air and onto others if the person wearing the mask coughs, sneezes, speaks, or raises their voice. This is known as source control.
  • In addition to those who interact with the deaf or hard of hearing, the following groups of teachers and staff may also consider using clear masks:
    • Teachers to young students (e.g. teaching young students to read).
    • Teacher of students studying English
    • Teachers of students with disabilities
  • Clear masks should be adjusted so that they do not cause breathing difficulties or overheating for the wearer. Clear masks are not face shields. CDC does not recommend the use of face shields for normal day-to-day activities or as a replacement for masks as there is no evidence of their effectiveness in controlling the spread of the virus from source to source control.

Adequate care

Make sure you have accessible sinks and supplies so people can clean their hands and cover up coughs and sneezes. Consumables include soap, a way to dry hands (e.g., paper towels, hand dryers), tissues, hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol (for employees and older children who can safely use hand sanitizer), disinfectant wipes, masks (where possible )) and trash can without touch / foot pedal (preferably covered).

Signs and messages

  • Put up signs in clearly visible places (e.g. school entrances, toilets) that encourage everyday protective measurespdf icon
  • Periodically send announcements to reduce the spread of COVID-19 on PA systems.
  • Use simple, clear, and effective language for behaviors that prevent the spread of COVID-19 when communicating with employees and families (e.g., on school websites, in email, and through school social media accounts) . If possible, provide communication in multiple languages.
  • Use communication methods that are accessible to all students, faculties, and staff, including people with disabilities.
  • Translate materials into common languages ​​spoken by students, teachers, staff and people in the school community.
  • The CDC Communications Resources main page contains freely available CDC print and digital resources. CDC also offers American Sign Language videos on COVID-19 and other means of communication.

Maintain a healthy environment

School administrators may consider implementing various strategies to maintain a healthy environment.

cleaning and desinfection

  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces (e.g. play equipment, door handles, wash basin handles, drinking fountains) in school and on school buses at least daily or as often as possible between uses. The use of common objects (e.g. fitness or sports equipment, painting utensils, toys, games) should be restricted if possible or cleaned between uses.
  • Develop a schedule for increased frequency of routine cleaning and disinfection.
  • If transport vehicles (e.g. buses) are used by the school, drivers should use all safety measures and protocols specified for other employees (e.g. hand hygiene, masks). For information on cleaning and disinfecting school buses or other transport vehicles, see the instructions for bus companies.

Shared objects

  • Avoid sharing items that are difficult to clean or disinfect.
  • Keep each child's belongings separate from those of other children and in individually labeled containers, cubes, or areas.
  • Ensure adequate supplies to minimize the sharing of high-contact materials (e.g., assigning each student their own artifacts and equipment), or limit the use of supplies and equipment by each a group of children and clean and disinfect them between uses.
  • Avoid sharing electronic devices, toys, books, and other games or study aids.

ventilation

Consider upgrades or improvements to the ventilation system and other steps to increase the supply of clean air and dilute potential contaminants in the school. Let experienced heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) professionals advise you when considering changes to HVAC systems and equipment. Some of the recommendations below are based on the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) guidelines for building operations during the COVID-19 pandemicexternal symbol

Improvement steps can include some or all of the following activities:

  • Increase ventilation outdoors and be careful in heavily polluted areas.
    • If weather conditions allow, increase the fresh outside air by opening windows and doors. Do not open windows and doors if this presents a safety or health risk (e.g. risk of falling, triggering of asthma symptoms) for children who use the facility.
    • Use Fans to increase the effectiveness of open windows. Position the fans safely and carefully in or near windows so as not to induce potentially contaminated airflow directly from one person through another (strategic placement of the window fans in exhaust mode can help bring fresh air into the air through other open windows and doors Room without creating strong air currents).
    • Reduce occupancy in areas where outdoor ventilation cannot be increased.
  • Make sure that the ventilation systems are working properly and that the indoor air quality for each room is acceptable for the current occupancy rate.
  • If possible, increase the total airflow to the occupied rooms.
  • Deactivate the demand-controlled ventilation control (DCV), which reduces the air supply depending on occupancy or temperature during the occupied hours.
  • Open the minimum outside air dampers further to reduce or eliminate the HVAC air circulation. In mild weather, this has no effect on thermal comfort or humidity. However, this can be difficult in cold, hot, or humid weather.
  • Improvement of the central air filtration:
    • Increase the air filtrationexternal symbol
    • Check the filter housing and racks to make sure the filter is properly seated and see how to minimize filter bypass
    • Check the filters to make sure they are within life and installed properly.
  • Before and after occupying the school, run the HVAC system with maximum outside airflow for 2 hours.
  • Make sure the toilet exhaust fans are functional and at full capacity when the school is busy.
  • Check and maintain local exhaust in areas such as toilets, kitchens, cooking areas, etc.
  • Use portable HEPA fan / filter systems (High-Efficiency Particle Air) to improve air purification (especially in areas of higher risk such as the nurse's office).
  • Check and maintain local exhaust in areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, cooking areas, etc.
  • Use portable High Efficiency Particle Air (HEPA) fan / filter systems to improve air purification (particularly in areas of higher risk, such as the nurse's office and special education classrooms).
  • Generate a move from cleaner to less clean air by reevaluating the location of the supply and / or exhaust diffusers and / or flaps (especially in areas of higher risk such as the nurse's office).
  • Consider using UV Germicidal Radiation (UVGI) as an adjunct to inactivating SARS-CoV-2, especially if ways to increase room ventilation are limited.
  • Ventilation aspects are also important in school buses.

* Note: The ventilatory intervention considerations listed above include a number of initial and operational costs that, along with risk assessment parameters such as community incidence rates, mask compliance expectations, and classroom density, may influence the considerations for which interventions are conducted. The estimated acquisition costs (per room) for the listed ventilation measures range from $ 0.00 (opening a window; inspecting and maintaining local exhaust ventilation; deactivating DCV control or repositioning outside air dampers) to <$ 100 (using fans to increase the Effectiveness of open windows). or repositioning the supply / exhaust diffusers to create a directional airflow) to about $ 500 (adding portable HEPA fan / filter systems) to about $ 1500 (adding UVGI in the upper room).

Water systems

The temporary closure or reduced operation of schools and the reduction of normal water consumption can pose risks to returning students and employees. To minimize the risk of exposure to lead or copper, Legionnaires' disease, and other water-related diseases, you should take steps such as flushing water pipes to ensure that all water systems and functions (e.g., sink taps, drinking fountains, showers , decorative fountains) are safe to use after a long period of shutdown of the system and to follow the 3Ts of the EPA (Training, Testing and Taking Action) to reduce lead in drinking waterexternal symbol

Changed layouts

  • Space for seating / desks at least 6 feet apart if possible.
  • Rotate the desks so they are facing the same direction (instead of facing each other) or have students sit on one side of the desks, spaced apart.
  • Modify study stations and activities as needed so that there are fewer students per group and, if possible, at least 10 feet apart.
  • Whenever possible, create a space between children on school buses (e.g. put children one child per row, skip rows) when possible.

Physical barriers and guides

  • Install physical barriers, such as B. Sneeze guards and partitions, especially in areas where it is difficult for individuals to stay at least 6 feet apart (e.g. reception desks).
  • Provide physical guides such as: B. Tape on floors or sidewalks and signs on walls to ensure employees and children are at least 3 m apart on lines and at other times (e.g., guidelines for creating one-way streets in hallways).

Common areas

  • Common use of common areas such as dining rooms and playgrounds with common play equipment, if possible; Otherwise staggered and clean and disinfect between uses.
  • Add physical barriers between the sinks, e.g. B. flexible plastic screens, especially if they must not be at least 3 m apart.

Food service

  • Schools are essential to meeting the nutritional needs of children, many of whom use up to half their daily calories in school. Nationwide, more than 30 million children take part in the national school feeding program and almost 15 million in the school breakfast program. (15, 16) There are several mitigation strategies schools can implement while providing this important service to their students.
  • Avoid offering self-service food or drinks, e.g. B. Bars with hot and cold dishes, salad or spice bars and beverage stations. Instead, serve individually plated or prepackaged meals while keeping children with food allergies safepdf icon
  • Whenever possible, let children eat outdoors or in classrooms, while maintaining social distance (at least 6 feet apart) as much as possible, rather than in a shared dining room or cafeteria.
  • Have teachers and children wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol before and after meals. Make sure that children do not share groceries, either from home or from the catering service.
  • If communal dining rooms or cafeterias are used, ensure that the children stay at least three feet away from each other in the dining lines and at the tables while eating. Clean and disinfect tables and chairs between each use.
  • Make sure children do not share food or utensils. This will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 to all students and keep children with food allergies safepdf icon
    • Use single-use food (e.g. utensils, trays).
    • If single-use items are not feasible or desirable, ensure that all non-disposable food and equipment is handled by staff with gloves and washed in dish soap and hot water or in the dishwasher.
    • People should wash their hands after taking off their gloves or after handling used food directly.
  • If food is offered in any way, have prepackaged boxes or bags for each attendee instead of a buffet or family style meal.
  • If possible, provide handkerchiefs and trash cans without touch or foot pedal to staff, volunteers, and students.
  • If possible, install non-contact payment methods (pay without touching any money, a card or a keyboard). Have hand sanitizer ready immediately after handling money, cards, or keyboards.
  • Notable: USDA has issued the COVID-19 Nationwide Waiver to allow flexibility of meal patterns in child nutrition programsexternal symbol

Maintaining a healthy operation

Schools may consider implementing various strategies to maintain healthy operations.

Protection for employees and children at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19

  • Provide options for employees at higher risk of serious illness (including older adults and people of all ages with certain underlying diseases or disabilities) that limit their risk of exposure (e.g. teleworking, changed tasks that limit the risk of exposure).
  • Offer options for students at higher risk of developing serious illnesses that limit their risk of exposure (e.g. virtual learning opportunities).
  • Providing inclusive programs for children and adolescents with special health needs and disabilities that enable on-site or virtual participation with appropriate accommodation, changes and support (e.g. students with disabilities may have greater difficulty accessing and accessing virtual learning technology use).
  • In accordance with applicable law, guidelines should be put in place to protect the privacy of those at greater risk of serious illness in relation to underlying medical conditions.

Regulatory awareness

See guidelines from local or state regulatory agencies regarding group meetings to determine if events can take place.

Identify and hold together small groups (cohort or podding)

Division of students and teachers into different groups that stay together for a whole school day during personal lessons. Limit mixing between groups so that there is minimal or no interaction between cohorts.

Changing schedule

Alternate the days cohorts physically go to school. For example, certain classes or classrooms physically visit school on Monday / Tuesday and other classes or classrooms physically visit school on Thursday / Friday (and the school is thoroughly cleaned on Wednesday in between). As another example, some schools internationally have alternated face-to-face visits with a group of students on a weekly basis for one week, followed by another group for the next week, alternating with thorough cleaning on the weekends.

Staggered planning

  • Offset student arrival, drop-off, and pick-up time or location by cohort or set up other protocols to limit contact between cohorts and direct contact with parents, guardians, and carers as much as possible.
  • Whenever possible, use flexible workplaces (e.g., teleworking from home) and flexible working hours (e.g., staggered shifts) to establish guidelines and practices for social distancing (at least 3 m apart).

M.ix of virtual and classroom learning (hybrid schedule)

Hybrid options can apply a cohort approach to education provided in the classroom.

Virtual / at home only

Students and teachers take part in purely virtual classes, activities and events.

Meetings, visitors and excursions

  • Whenever possible, follow virtual group events, gatherings, or meetings, and encourage social distancing of at least 10 feet between people when events are taking place. Limit the group size as much as possible.
  • Pursue options to convene sporting events and participate in athletic activities to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 to players, families, coaches, and communities.
  • Limit unnecessary visitors, volunteers, and activities that involve external groups or organizations as much as possible – especially for people who are not from the local geographic area (e.g., community, city, county).
  • Limit cross-school transfers for specific programs. For example, if students are brought in from multiple schools for special programs (e.g. music, robotics, academic clubs, sports), consider using distance learning and virtual environments to deliver classes or temporarily offering duplicate programs in the participating schools. For youth sports considerations, see the FAQs for youth sports programs (e.g. physical distance, wearing masks, etc.).
  • Develop a plan for employees who travel between schools (e.g. school nurses, psychologists, therapists). For example, consider allowing them to hold virtual meetings instead of physical school visits, and re-scheduling to limit their visits to multiple locations.
  • Whenever possible, follow virtual activities and events in lieu of field trips, student meetings, special performances, school-wide parents' meetings, and ghost nights.

Designated COVID-19 contact point

Designate a person from the staff, e.g. B. the school nurse who is responsible for responding to COVID-19 concerns. All school staff and families should know who this person is and how to get in touch with them.

Travel and transit

  • Consider options to limit non-essential travel in accordance with state and local rules and guidelines.
  • Consider postponing or canceling upcoming international student travel programs.
  • Encourage students, faculties, and staff who use public transit or ridesharing to use modes of transportation that minimize close contact with others (e.g., cycling, walking, driving, or driving a car, either alone or with household members).
  • Make sure people with disabilities can travel safely on campus. For example, social distancing may not be possible in designated seating areas for wheelchairs, and drivers who may need close contact to help a person with disabilities.
  • Encourage students, faculty, and staff who use public transportation or ridesharing to follow CDC guidelines on how to protect themselves while using it. Also, encourage them to commute during less busy times and clean their hands as soon as possible after their trip.

Participate in community response efforts

Consider participating in broader COVID-19 community response efforts with local authorities (e.g., sitting on community response committees).

Communication systems

Set up systems for:

  • Staff and families should report to the school themselves if they or their students have symptoms of COVID-19, a positive test for COVID-19, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 within the last 14 days. The reporting system should be consistent with the regulations for exchanging health information for COVID-19external symbol
  • Notifying employees, families and the public of school closings and any restrictions to limit COVID-19 exposure (e.g. limited hours of operation).

Vacation (leisure) guidelines and excused absence guidelines

  • Implement flexible sick leave policies and practices that allow employees to stay home when sick, exposed, or caring for someone who is sick.
    • Review and revise the vacation, teleworking, and employee compensation policies.
    • Vacation policies should be flexible, not penalizing people for taking time off, and allowing sick employees to stay at home and away from employees. The vacation rules should also take into account employees who have to stay at home with their children or care for sick family members when schools or childcare are closed. Additional flexibility could for example be the granting of advances on future sick days and the possibility for employees to donate sick leave to one another.
  • Develop guidelines for return to school after COVID-19 illness. The CDC's criteria for ending home isolation and quarantine can affect these guidelines.

Backup staff plan

Monitor student and staff absenteeism, train staff, and create a list of trained staff.

Training of employees

  • Training of staff in all security protocols.
  • Conduct training courses virtually or ensure that social distance is maintained during training.

Recognize signs and symptoms

We learn more about COVID-19 every day and as more information becomes available, CDC will continue to update and share the information. As our knowledge and understanding of COVID-19 evolves, this guide is subject to change.

Based on the best evidence currently available:

  • CDC does not currently recommend universal symptom testing (Review of all students in grades K-12) be carried out by the schools
  • Parents or caregivers should be strongly encouraged to monitor their children for signs of an infectious disease including COVID-19 every day.
  • Students who have symptoms of an infectious disease or symptoms related to COVID-19 should not attend school in person.
    • Schools that elect to conduct symptom screenings should conduct these screenings safely and respectfully, and in accordance with applicable privacy laws and regulations (e.g., American with Disabilities Act (ADA) confidentiality and Family Educational Rights) and Privacy Act (FERPA))).
    • The considerations listed here are intended for students in K-12 school settings only. For guidance on screening employees, see CDC's Provisional Guidelines for Businesses and Employers Responding to Coronavirus Disease 2019 and the Preventing Transmission Among Employees section of the CDC Resuming Business Toolkitpdf icon

Sharing facilities

Encourage all organizations that share or use school facilities to follow these considerations as well.

Support in coping and resilience

  • Encourage staff and students to take breaks to watch, read, or listen to news about COVID-19, including social media, including social media, when they feel overwhelmed or distressed.
  • Encourage employees and students who eat healthily, play sports, sleep and find time to relax.
  • Encourage staff and students to share their concerns and feelings with people they trust.
  • Communicate transparently with staff, teachers, students, and families, including the mental health support services available at the school. These critical messages should be accessible to people with disabilities and limited English proficiency.
  • Regularly share facts about COVID-19 through trusted sources of information to help prevent the spread of misinformation and ease anxiety.
  • Think about whether you want to publish signs for the national emergency number (1-800-985-5990) or a text with TalkWithUsto 66746
  • Ensure continuity of mental health services, e.g. B. Remote counseling.
  • Encourage students to call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255), 1-888-628-9454 for Spanish, or Lifeline Crisis Chatexternal symbol

Prepare if someone with COVID-19 is sick

Schools can consider implementing various strategies to prepare for when someone has COVID-19.

Educate staff and families of students with COVID-19 of the home isolation criteria

Sick staff or students should not return until they have met the CDC criteria to end their home isolation.

Make sure employees and families know when to stay home

Make sure staff and families know that they (staff) or their children (families) should not be coming to school and that they are school officials (e.g. the designated COVID-19 contact point (e.g. school nurse) If you (employees) or your child (family) test positive for COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 symptoms or a confirmed or suspected case. These critical messages should be accessible to people with disabilities and limited English proficiency.

Isolate and transport students who develop symptoms in school

Some students may develop symptoms of an infectious disease in school. Schools should take steps to isolate students who develop these symptoms from other students and staff. Follow the school isolation protocol outlined in Screening K-12 Students for Symptoms of COVID-19: Limitations and Considerations for When Students Develop Symptoms of an Infectious Disease.

Clean and disinfect

  • Close off areas used by a sick person and only use these areas after you've cleaned and disinfected them. For outdoor areas (e.g., playgrounds, seating areas, outdoor dining areas, etc.), this may include surfaces or common objects in the area.
  • Wait at least 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting. If 24 hours is not possible, wait as long as possible. Ensure the safe and correct use and storage of cleaning and disinfection productsexternal symbol

Notify health officials and establish close contacts

  • In accordance with state and local laws and regulations, school administrators should promptly notify local health officials, employees and families of any COVID-19 case, while maintaining confidentiality under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).external symbol
  • Let those who have had close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 stay home and monitor themselves for symptoms and follow CDC instructions if symptoms occur. Maintain confidentiality under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).external symbol
  • A school may need to implement short term building closure procedures if / when an infected person was on campus during their infection period and has close contact with others. When that happens, wAsk the local health authorities to determine the next steps. One option is an initial short-term suspension of classes and the cancellation of events and activities (e.g., gatherings, ghost nights, field trips, and sporting events) to give local health officials time to better understand the COVID-19 situation and support the school in determining appropriate next steps, including whether such a suspension needs to be extended to stop or slow the further spread of COVID-19. In situations where schools gather students together (e.g. in pods), administrators can close the building in places (e.g. in classrooms, public areas) where others have been exposed to the infected person. In the event that local health authorities do not recommend the closure of buildings or classrooms, thorough cleaning of the areas where the infected person has spent a significant amount of time should be considered.
  • The recommendations of the local health authorities on whether to interrupt school or events and the duration of such suspensions should be made on a case-by-case basis, using the most current information on COVID-19 and taking into account the local number of cases and the degree of ongoing transmission in the community.

Students with disabilities or special health needs

Plan accommodation, changes and support for children and young people with disabilities and special health needs

A tailored and individual approach to COVID-19 may be required for children and adolescents with disabilities with limited mobility. Have difficulty accessing information due to visual, audible or other limiting factors; require close contact with direct service providers; Have problems understanding information; Have difficulty changing routines; or have other disability-related concerns. This approach should take into account:

  • Education should remain accessible to children in special needs education who have a 504 plan or an individual education program.
  • Social distancing and isolation in school can be difficult for many people with disabilities.
  • Wearing masks can be difficult for people with certain disabilities (such as visual or hearing impairments) or for people with sensory, cognitive, or behavioral problems.
  • Students may need assistance or visual and verbal reminders to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they cough or sneeze, to throw the tissue in the trash, and then wash their hands.
  • If service or therapy animals are used, use the instructions to protect the animal from COVID-19.
  • Cleaning and disinfection practices can adversely affect students with sensory or respiratory problems.
  • Students may need assistance or supervision by washing their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol)
  • Cleaning and disinfecting personal items, school items, or surfaces may require assistance or supervision.
  • Behavioral techniques can help all students adapt to changes in routine and take preventative measures. These techniques can be particularly useful for some children with disabilities and include modeling and reinforcing desired behaviors, as well as the use of picture maps, timers, and visual cues. Organizations that support people with disabilities have information and resources to assist schools with these behavioral skills. In addition, behavioral therapists or local mental health or behavioral health agencies may be able to offer advice on specific concerns.

Follow the instructions for DSPs (Direct Service Providers).

Direct service providers (Personal Care Attendants, Direct Support Professionals, Paraprofessionals, Therapists, and others) offer a variety of home and community health-related services that support people with disabilities. Services offered may include assistance with daily living activities, access to health services, and more. DSPs are essential to the health and wellbeing of the people they serve.

  • Before starting school, ask Direct Service Providers (DSPs) whether they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or whether they have had contact with someone who has COVID-19. Wenn DSPs Dienste an anderen Schulen anbieten, fragen Sie speziell, ob eine der anderen Schulen positive Fälle hatte. Hinweise zum Screening von Mitarbeitern (einschließlich DSPs) finden Sie in den vorläufigen Leitlinien von CDC für Unternehmen und Arbeitgeber, die auf die Coronavirus-Krankheit 2019 reagieren, und im Abschnitt Verhindern der Übertragung unter Mitarbeitern des CDC Resuming Business Toolkitpdf icon
  • Wenn die Möglichkeit besteht, dass ein DSP während seiner Arbeit von Körperflüssigkeiten bespritzt oder besprüht wird, sollten sie die üblichen Vorsichtsmaßnahmen treffen, um eine Infektion zu vermeiden. Sie müssen persönliche Schutzausrüstung (PSA) tragen, einschließlich Gesichtsmaske, Augenschutz, Einweghandschuhe und Kleid.
  • CDC hat Leitlinien für DSPs entwickelt. Schulverwalter sollten die DSP-Richtlinien überprüfen und sicherstellen, dass DSPs, die die Schule betreten müssen, über diese vorbeugenden Maßnahmen informiert sind.

References

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  2. Choi S-H, Kim HW, Kang J-M et al. Epidemiologie und klinische Merkmale der Coronavirus-Krankheit 2019 bei Kindern. Klinische und experimentelle Pädiatrie 2020; 63 (4): 125-32. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3345/cep.2020.00535external symbol
  3. Bialek S., Gierke R., Hughes M., McNamara LA, Pilishvili T., Skoff T .; CDC COVID-19-Reaktionsteam. Coronavirus-Krankheit 2019 bei Kindern – USA, 12. Februar bis 2. April 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020; 69: 422–6. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6914e4.htm?s_cid=mm6914e4_w
  4. Dong Y, Mo X, Hu Y et al. Epidemiologie von COVID-19 bei Kindern in China. Pediatrics 2020; 145: e20200702.
  5. Götzinger F., Santiago-García B., Noguera-Julián A. et al.; ptbnet COVID-19-Studiengruppe. COVID-19 bei Kindern und Jugendlichen in Europa: eine multinationale, multizentrische Kohortenstudie. Lancet Child Adolesc Health 2020; S2352-4642 (20): 30177–2.
  6. Huang L., Zhang X., Zhang X. et al. Schnelle asymptomatische Übertragung von COVID-19 während der Inkubationszeit, die eine starke Infektiosität bei einer Gruppe von Jugendlichen im Alter von 16 bis 23 Jahren außerhalb von Wuhan und Merkmale junger Patienten mit COVID-19 zeigt: Eine prospektive Kontaktverfolgungsstudie. J Infect 2020; 80: e1–13.
  7. CM Szablewski, KT Chang, MM Brown et al. SARS-CoV-2-Übertragung und -Infektion unter Teilnehmern eines Übernachtungslagers – Georgia, Juni 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020; 69: 1023–1025. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6931e1external symbol
  8. Kim L., Whitaker M., O'Halloran A. et al. Krankenhausaufenthaltsraten und -merkmale von Kindern unter 18 Jahren mit laborbestätigtem COVID-19 – COVID-NET, 14 Staaten, 1. März bis 25. Juli 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. EPub: 7. August 2020. DOI: http: //dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6932e3external symbol
  9. CDC COVID Data Tracker. Zugriff vom 09.08.2020: https://www.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases
  10. Nationales Zentrum für Gesundheitsstatistik. COVID-19 Todesdaten und Ressourcen. Zugriff vom 09.08.2020: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/covid-19.htm
  11. Heavey L., Casey G., Kelly C., Kelly D., McDarby G. Keine Hinweise auf eine sekundäre Übertragung von COVID-19 von Kindern, die in Irland die Schule besuchen, 2020. Euro Surveill 2020; 25: 2000903.
  12. Ludvigsson JF. Es ist unwahrscheinlich, dass Kinder die Haupttreiber der COVID-19-Pandemie sind – eine systematische Überprüfung. Acta Paediatr 2020; 109: 1525–30.
  13. Park YJ, Choe YJ, Park O et al.; COVID-19 Nationales Notfallzentrum, Epidemiologie- und Fallmanagement-Team. Kontaktverfolgung während des Ausbruchs der Coronavirus-Krankheit, Südkorea, 2020. Emerg Infect Dis 2020; 26th
  14. Stein-Zamir C., Abramson N., Shoob H. et al. Ein großer COVID-19-Ausbruch in einer High School 10 Tage nach der Wiedereröffnung der Schulen, Israel, Mai 2020. Euro Surveill 2020; 25. Epub 23. Juli 2020.
  15. USDA. Wirtschaftsforschungsdienst. Nationales Schulspeisungsprogramm. Zugriff 8/10/2020. Verfügbar unter: https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/child-nutrition-programs/national-school-lunch-programexternal symbol
  16. USAD. Wirtschaftsforschungsdienst. Schulfrühstücksprogramm. Zugriff 8/10/2020. Verfügbar unter: https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/child-nutrition-programs/school-breakfast-program/external symbol
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