by Robin Kemp
Clayton County Public Schools have issued specific directions for what employees and students should do if they are exposed to, show symptoms of, or test positive for COVID-19.
The protocols are different for students and employees:
What students should do
Every student and family should monitor themselves every day for COVID-19 symptoms. If an immediate family member or the student shows symptoms of COVID-19, do not come to school.
If a student is exposed to COVID-19
- Vaccinated students:
- No quarantine unless you show symptoms
- Unvaccinated students:
- No quarantine if you stay 6 or more feet apart
- If 2 students wear masks, stay 3 or more feet apart, and are separated by a Plexiglas shield, no quarantine
- If 2 students go maskless, no Plexiglas is available, and they are less than 6 feet apart for 15 minutes or more, 10-day quarantine required
- If a student has no symptoms and a negative COVID-19 test no sooner than 3 to 5 days after exposure, quarantine time may be reduced
- CCPS Health Team may follow up
If a student has symptoms of COVID-19
- Do not come to school
- Consult your medical provider
- Notify a school staff member
If a student tests positive for COVID-19/list
- Do not come to school
- Consult your medical provider
- Report your diagnosis to a teacher or building principal
- The principal will “properly report the positive diagnosis” and conduct contact tracing
- Stay out of school as directed by the COVID-19 Response Team
What employees should do
If an employee is exposed to COVID-19
- Close Contact: Whether or not you are vaccinated, if you show no symptoms:
- Come to work
- No quarantine required
- Practice social distancing, daily COVID screener, temperature check, sanitize hands, monitor your symptoms, and get a COVID-19 test within 3 to 5 days of exposure
- If you are not vaccinated, or if you are vaccinated but show symptoms:
- Report exposure to your supervisor, who will notify the Health Team
- Quarantine
- Wait for the Health Team to decide next steps
- If you test negative within 3 to 5 days of exposure, your quarantine may be shorter
- If the quarantine is a result of workplace exposure, you will be paid and “be expected to work remotely where feasible or applicable.”
If an employee has symptoms of COVID-19
- Do not come to work
- Notify your supervisor
- Contact your healthcare provider
If an employee tests positive for COVID-19
- Do not come to work
- Notify your supervisor
- Contact your healthcare provider
- Stay home from work as directed by the Health Team and your healthcare provider
- Leave is entered as sick leave
Learning During COVID-19 Quarantine
CCPS says its goal is for students to have “continued access to learning” while in quarantine.
That means students will get assignments from their teachers, which may require students to have access to CANVAS, Google apps, and other digital and print resources.
For digital assignments, students will need access to “a computer device and reliable Internet.”
Students may be able to work asynchronously (independently), or they may have to access the teacher’s Zoom links to log into the lesson and learn synchronously (with the teacher leading the class). Depending on the principal’s procedures and/or whether the student has COVID-19 symptoms and cannot log in.
Both students and parents should get in touch with teachers if they have any questions about the assignments.
