Question: There are different policies about when and for how long students should go home when either displaying COVID-19 symptoms or exposure to a COVID positive person. What guidance should I follow?

Answer: It is recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), that schools should use “a liberal approach when determining whether to send a child home due to illness.”

To help with decision making, Principals should conasult the easy to understand flow chart on the back page of the recently released 2020-21 WCRIS Legal Handbook (LH).

In addition, the DHS advises that schools should send students home if:

  • They have tested positive for COVID-19, with or without having symptoms, and have not yet finished their isolation period per public health recommendations (see LH flow chart).
  • They have been diagnosed with COVID-19 by a health care provider, and have not yet finished their isolation period per public health recommendations (see LH flow chart).
  • Within the last two weeks, they have come in close contact with anyone who has COVID-19.

OR, if the student has experienced any of the following in the previous 24 hours:

  • Either cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new loss of smell or taste, or
  • At least two of the following symptoms found here.

When it comes to asking students to quarantine, your response will depend on the details. For someone who:

was NOT tested but has two or more symptoms, the following applies:

  • Stay home for at least 10 days since the first symptoms began AND be fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications for 24 hours AND with improvement of symptoms.
  • The siblings of a student must be quarantined for 14 days after the last day of symptoms in the household.

who has tested positive for COVID-19, the following applies:

  • The individual must isolate at home for at least 10 days since the first symptoms began AND be fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications for 24 hours AND with improvement in symptoms. Repeat testing is NOT recommended for making decisions about when people can return to work or school.
  • The siblings of a student must be quarantined for 14 days after the last day of symptoms in the household.

who has tested negative for COVID-19 but has symptoms, follow your school’s sick policies. There is no need for siblings to be quarantined.