As we all look at the new school year coming we know that this could be a stressful time for you and your families. The KSD nurses want you to know that we have followed the science regarding the ever-changing information that is publicized daily about Covid-19. Though it can be confusing it is a sign of the progress that is being made by scientists and public health experts in learning about this virus.
We want you to know that we are following CDC guidelines as well as the recommendations put forth by the Department of Education, Maine Association of School Nurses and the National Association of School Nurses.
We understand that you will have many questions and concerns and we hope to address some of these here as you prepare yourselves and your students for a return to school.
As public health professionals, we also know that everyone must make an effort to keep our community safe. We can only do this if we work as a community and adopt measures to protect our families. Such as:
1. Please do not send your child to school after giving them any fever-reducing medication such as Tylenol, Advil, Ibuprofen, Motrin, etc. Please know that in school
we will be using such medications sparingly.
2. If daily medications can be given at home, please do so. Most medications other than those that need to be given 4 times a day can be timed to administer at
home.
3. Have alternate plans for student illness, such as someone who can pick your child up from school if they become ill, a contact number that you will
answer during the school day, and a reliable means of transportation.
Importantly, please make sure that your child’s immunizations are up to date. This is especially important during a pandemic to keep other infectious diseases out of the school as much as possible.
What do we know about Covid-19?
There is new information almost daily as we learn more about this virus. Please review and share this information with your child so they have at least a basic understanding of the virus. This is an important first step in keeping them as safe as possible.
Will there be a screening process and temperature taking upon entry to school?
Most children that are positive with Covid-19 are asymptomatic and adults can spread the virus up to 2 days before a fever develops. Therefore we will not be taking temperatures upon arrival and we are asking you to assess your child and our staff to assess themselves each day prior to arriving at school. Please stay home if you answer ‘yes’ to any of the 4 questions.
Must my child wear a face covering at school?
Children and adults will wear face coverings on the bus and in school. They may remove them to eat, drink and there will be mask breaks. Please consider supplying your child with something to store their face covering in when they are allowed to remove it such as a paper bag with their name on it. Lanyards are not considered a hygienic way to store a mask. Proper application and removal is an important step in infection control. It is important for your child to have a clean mask each day.
Will hand washing be encouraged in school?
Hand washing will be encouraged in school as well as the use of hand sanitizer. Protocols will be out in place to assure that this occurs several times during the day. It is important that you work with your child to do this properly. Most children skip some steps or do not take the time to do it properly.
How will illness be handled at school?
The nurses will assess students complaining of illness. We will follow the latest CDC, DOE, and MASN guidelines to keep the school community safe. If a student has a temperature or sign of Covid-19, they will be kept in an isolation room until a parent arrives. Here is where we need your help. Please be available by phone and make arrangements for your child to be picked up from school when ill as soon as possible.
How will nurses see students with injuries or needing medications and keep them safe from those that are ill?
School health services will be delivered differently in years past as we try to separate those that may need to be seen for injuries or routine care and those that may need to be seen for illness in an effort to reduce the spread of disease. This may mean that we go to a classroom to see a child or evaluate them in an isolation room.
Given the different ways that school health will be delivered this year, the constants of routine health is even more important. Please provide your child's school nurse with up-to-date immunizations, most recent physical exam, and any new health information in a timely fashion. Working together will help us all stay healthier!