Wausau Pilot & Review

The D.C. Everest School District on Wednesday issued new COVID-19 protocols based on updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health officials.

“COVID cases are rising in our community, therefore we want to reiterate the importance of screening your child(ren) on a daily basis and keeping ill children at home to ensure we can continue to provide students with opportunities for in-person learning and extracurricular/ co-curricular and social activities outside the classroom,” a statement posted on the district’s COVID page reads.

See the below for all updated guidance from the district.

IF A STUDENT TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

  • Regardless of vaccination status, the student must remain home for 5 days. If the student is symptomatic, the student must remain home 5 days from the onset of symptoms. If the student has no symptoms, the student must remain home 5 days from the test date.
  • If the student has no symptoms or his/her symptoms are resolving after 5 days, the student can return to school and must wear a mask at school for days 6 – 10. Students unable to wear a mask, must isolate for the full 10 days.
  • If the student has a fever, the student must remain at home until the fever resolves without the use of fever-reducing medications.

IF THERE IS A COVID-19 CASE AT HOME

  • Students who are not fully vaccinated and have a COVID-positive individual who lives in their home must quarantine as noted below.
  • After completing 5 days of quarantine from the last date of exposure, student can return on day 6 provided no symptoms have developed. The student must wear a mask at school for days 6 – 10. Students unable to wear a mask, must quarantine for the full 10 days.
  • Students who become symptomatic and receive a negative PCR test need to meet the above quarantine guidelines.
  • Students who become symptomatic and receive a positive COVID test will need to complete their isolation period.
  • Students who are fully vaccinated and are symptom-free may attend school. (Fully vaccinated is defined as having completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months; completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months; have received COVID booster.) If the student develops symptoms, the individual must isolate for 5 days from onset of symptoms or can return to school with a negative rapid or PCR test (administered under clinical supervision) with improved symptoms.

CLOSE CONTACTS & QUARANTINING

  • If your child is identified as a close contact you will be notified by an email from the district.
  • Students identified as close contacts who are fully vaccinated and symptom-free are not required to quarantine. Vaccinated individuals deemed close contacts are recommended to:
  • Wear a mask in indoor settings for 10 days.
  • Get tested 5 days after the exposure to a COVID-positive individual.
  • If symptoms develop, the individual must isolate for 5 days from onset of symptoms or can return to school with a negative rapid or PCR test with improved symptoms.
  • Close contacts who are not fully vaccinated and symptom-free are eligible to return to school. If your student is identified as a close contact and chooses to return to school, the district highly recommends the following.
  • Wear a mask in indoor settings for 10 days.
  • Get tested 5 days after the exposure to a COVID-positive individual.
  • If symptoms develop, the individual must isolate for 5 days from onset of symptoms or can return to school with a negative PCR test with improved symptoms.
  • Students who have tested positive for COVID in the last 90 days have immunity and will not need to quarantine if deemed a close contact.

As a reminder, the DCE district is providing free COVID testing with a 24-48 hour turnaround time on results. More information can be found at: www.dce.k12.wi.us/freecovidtesting.