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District Departments » Health Services/Nurse » Frequently Asked Questions: COVID-19 (updated 3/23/2023)

Frequently Asked Questions: COVID-19 (updated 3/23/2023)

Health authorities require those who have tested positive for COVID-19 to complete an “isolation” period; those who may have been exposed to COVID-19 may be required to complete a “quarantine” period. In practice, isolation and quarantine both mean staying home and staying separated from others who have not been exposed to COVID-19.
If you or anyone in your household has COVID-19 symptoms, it is important to test for COVID-19 as soon as possible. Students and employees can obtain a rapid antigen test kit from their school or work supervisor or the Human Resources department. Persons with symptoms should self-quarantine pending the test results because COVID-19 is very contagious. That individual should also separate themselves from everyone in their household, so they do not transmit the virus to any family members in the home. They should wear a mask and social distance if they must be in the same room as a household member. Follow hand hygiene recommendations and avoid sharing any personal items.
If a student or employee tests positive, the following instructions will be given:
Be sure the test results are shared with the school site nurse (for students) or Human Resources (staff). Stay home until at least five days have passed since symptoms first appeared and there is no fever for at least 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication). Symptoms such as shortness of breath and cough should also improve before going back to a school site. Anyone who has a condition that severely weakens the immune system may need to stay home for longer and should consult with their healthcare provider.

Employees and students who have tested positive for COVID-19 and completed their isolation period should not take another COVID-19 test for 90 days because of the possibility of a false-positive result. 
It is not necessary to take a confirmatory PCR test if you test positive on an at-home rapid antigen test. If you would like to confirm your test result, however, you can visit an external healthcare provider or SLO Public Health to take a PCR test. Between taking those two tests, you must continue to isolate at home.

As of March 2023 employees and students who tested positive can return to school after 5 days if they are fever-free and symptoms are resolving. Employees and students are not required to provide proof of a negative test before returning to campus. 
Employees and students who have tested positive for COVID-19 and completed their isolation period should not take another COVID-19 test for 90 days because of the possibility of a false-positive result. An individual who has recovered from COVID-19 may have low levels of the virus in their bodies for up to three months and may continue to test positive although they are not contagious.

More information is available here: https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/COVID-19.aspx

Close contact is a person who was within 6 feet of the infected person for 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. Persons with an outdoor exposure at school are not considered close contacts.
Day 0 is the last day the close contact was exposed to the positive individual. Day 1 is the first day of isolation or quarantine, following the date of close contact.
Individuals who are continuously exposed at home to a household member who has tested positive can remain at school or work as long as they: monitor for symptoms and remain asymptomatic, test negative within 3-5 days after the last date of exposure to the positive household member while they were infectious. Rapid antigen tests are available at all schools or from supervisors.
If your child is identified as a close contact of a positive individual outside of school, they can continue to attend school as long as they monitor for symptoms and test negative with an at-home rapid antigen test within 3-5 days after last exposure. Rapid tests can be obtained from your school.
If your child recovered from COVID-19 in the last 90 days, they are exempt from testing but are required to monitor for symptoms.
If your child develops any COVID-19 symptoms, you should call your healthcare provider immediately and make arrangements for your child to be tested for COVID-19.
No, household members of identified close contacts do not have to take the same precautions, as long as they are not experiencing symptoms.

The SLO County Department of Public Health will conduct an investigation and make a determination if a school or class should close due to an outbreak.

 

Public Health will be notified of three cases in one classroom setting or if 5% of the student/staff population has tested positive. 

As of March 2023, parents and guardians will no longer be notified of a potential classroom COVID-19 exposure.
An outbreak is a specific event of multiple, linked cases that is determined in partnership with the SLO County Department of Public Health. If an outbreak is identified, principals and the District Nurse will follow specific protocols to inform the school community.  Principals will communicate all necessary information to the school community, in accordance with SLO County Department of Public Health guidelines.

Rapid antigen tests are available at all schools and worksites. Tests will only be provided to individuals who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or who have been identified as a close contact of a positive individual. 

Students and staff members who are not on campus and have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should not report to campus to pick up a rapid test.  Please call ahead and a test will be left outside for your convenience. 

If you receive a positive result on an at-home test, please forward the test result to the site nurse or the Human Resources Department as soon as possible, listing your name, date of birth and test date, handwritten on the test or a separate piece of paper.


Note that the day you took the rapid test is "Day 0" of your isolation period. You can get cleared to return to school or work as early as Day 6.

If the negative PCR test was taken within 48 hours from the positive at-home test and you are asymptomatic, you will not need to isolate. If you are symptomatic, you will continue following isolation protocols. If the negative PCR test was taken after the 48-hour window, please consult with your primary doctor for further evaluation.
The use of test kits beyond their expiration date is endorsed by the California Department of Public Health. For more information on the emergency extension of expiration dates, please click here.
Yes, your child can attend in-person school this and next school year regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status. Paso Robles Joint Unified has delayed its COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students until at least July 1, 2023, in alignment with the state’s implementation timeline.
All eligible students are still encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The COVID-19 vaccine is available to all at no cost, regardless of insurance or immigration status.
Students are encouraged to visit County vaccination sites, family pediatricians, local pharmacies, and other healthcare providers for vaccination. SLO County vaccination scheduling
Families can find information about vaccination clinics within San Luis Obispo at: https://myturn.ca.gov/
Yes. Students who are not fully vaccinated are permitted to participate in in-person extracurricular activities (including all sports, after-school programs, and district-sponsored events).
Paso Robles Joint Unified has delayed its COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students until at least July 1, 2023, in alignment with the state’s implementation timeline.
“Fully-vaccinated” refers to an individual who has received the first and second doses of the vaccine (or, in the case of Johnson & Johnson, the single required dose) and has completed the two-week period that follows to ensure maximum immunity.
If a student has lost their vaccine record, they can get a digital record at https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov
Most common reactions to the vaccine include redness/swelling at the vaccine site, fever, and muscle aches/body aches. Most symptoms resolve within 48-72 hours. If a child has a reaction to the vaccine, they may take excused absences with the ability to make up their schoolwork for full credit.
Yes. Students will not be vaccinated at a district-sponsored vaccination clinic without written consent AND a parent or legal guardian present.
While getting COVID-19 may offer some natural immunity from reinfection, it is not clear how long the immunity lasts. Because your child can still get reinfected with COVID-19 and have medical complications, the CDC recommends that those who have had COVID-19 get the COVID-19 vaccine. If your child received monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19, it is recommended to wait 90 days before getting vaccinated.