Recently the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Washington State Department of Health (DOH) updated guidelines regarding COVID-19 – individuals who test positive no longer have to isolate for 5 days if symptoms are mild and improving. The updated guidelines provide recommendations for all respiratory viruses (including COVID-19, flu, and RSV).
St. John School is releasing the following updated guidelines for illness for students, faculty and staff:
- Fever: A temperature of 100.4 or higher is considered a fever, and individuals should stay home from school if they have a fever. Individuals should be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications before returning to school.
- Respiratory Symptoms, including COVID-19: These symptoms include, but are not limited to: fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and/or headache. Individuals can return to school, when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:
- Fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications AND
- Symptoms are improving overall (i.e. individual feels well enough to participate in normal activities like learning in the classroom and extracurricular activities)
Following a respiratory illness, extra precautions are recommended in the first 5 days of returning to activities, such as washing hands frequently, taking steps for cleaner air indoors *, and wearing masks when around other people indoors.
*The school’s new HVAC system includes MERV-13 air filters throughout the campus.
If you have questions about the updated guidelines, please contact our school nurse, Dora Hall, at dhall@st-johnschool.org. The CDC’s Respiratory Guidance Update FAQ page is an additional resource. The guidelines are also available on our website.
