Mitigation Strategies

In addition to the virus that causes COVID-19, there are many other types of respiratory viruses, including influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Symptoms of a respiratory virus include fever, difficulty breathing, loss of taste and smell, more than a minor cough and sore throat, chills, aches, behavior changes (in children), and/or significant fatigue not attributable to other causes. While not typically associated with respiratory viruses, children with COVID-19 or flu can present with vomiting and diarrhea.

Steps You Can Take

When you have a respiratory virus infection, you can spread it to others. If you have symptoms of a respiratory virus, stay home and away from others, including people you live with who are not sick. Also, use precautions to prevent spread, such as:

• Practicing good hygiene by covering your coughs and sneezes, washing or sanitizing your hands often, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
• Taking steps for cleaner air, such as bringing in fresh outside air, purifying indoor air, or gathering outdoors.
• Wearing a well-fitting mask* for at least 5 days.
• Maintaining physical distance from others, when possible.
• Staying away from those who are immunocompromised or vulnerable to severe illness.
• Testing before deciding to be around others, such as before attending a gathering or taking high-occupancy transportation.

*ACPS will provide masks (KN95, cloth or disposable) to students and employees upon request. Masks are not required, but they are recommended when an individual is experiencing or recovering from a respiratory illness.

Returning to Your Normal Activities

You can go back to your normal activities when your symptoms are getting better overall AND when you have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. When you go back to your normal activities, take added precautions, such as those listed above, over the next 5 days.

• Keep in mind that you may still be able to spread the virus that made you sick, even if you are feeling better.
• If you develop a fever or you start to feel worse after you have gone back to normal activities, go back to staying home and away from others until your symptoms improve again and you have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. Then take added precautions for the next 5 days.

Seeking Testing & Treatment

If you have symptoms of a respiratory virus and you have risk factors for severe illness, seek health care promptly for testing and treatment. Generally, people at higher risk of severe illness from respiratory viruses are older adults, young children, people with compromised immune systems, people with disabilities, and pregnant people.

• Testing for respiratory viruses can help you find out if you are currently infected with a certain respiratory virus and help you decide what to do next. Antigen tests (“self-tests” or “rapid tests”) usually return results quickly, but they are not as good at detecting viruses as PCR tests, which are normally conducted by a healthcare provider.
• Treatment may help lower your risk of severe illness. If you have flu or COVID-19, treatment may be an option to make your symptoms less severe and shorten the time you are sick.

For information about COVID-19 testing in Virginia, please visit the Virginia Department of Health's web page, COVID-19 Testing.

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The CDC recommends the following actions to help protect yourself and others from health risks caused by respiratory viruses.

Stay Up to Date With Immunizations

Stay up to date with immunizations to help prepare your body to defend itself against viruses and to protect yourself from severe illness, hospitalization and death. This includes a current flu and COVID-19 vaccine, and RSV vaccine if eligible.

Practice Good Hygiene

Practice good hygiene by covering your coughs and sneezes, washing or sanitizing your hands often, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces. These habits help limit the spread of germs to protect others.

Everyone throughout ACPS is encouraged to wash or sanitize their hands frequently during the day. Hand sanitizing dispensers and/or sinks are available in multiple areas of each building and on each school bus. Throughout the day, custodial staff disinfect high-touch surfaces. At night, custodians clean and disinfect classrooms and other spaces that were used during the day. Disinfecting wipes are available in all occupied classrooms for use by students and employees, as needed.

Take Steps for Cleaner Air

Take steps for cleaner air, such as bringing in fresh outside air, purifying indoor air, or gathering outdoors. Some germs spread in the air between people. This happens more easily in indoor, crowded spaces with poor airflow. Virus particles do not build up in the air outdoors as much as they do indoors.

Throughout ACPS, air purifiers with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are used in all classrooms, clinics, and school buses.

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A student who becomes ill at school with symptoms of a respiratory virus* will be sent home. The school will notify the parent/guardian, who will be asked to pick up their symptomatic child promptly. The student may return to school when their symptoms have improved AND they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

*In addition to the virus that causes COVID-19, there are many other types of respiratory viruses, including influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Symptoms of a respiratory virus include fever, difficulty breathing, loss of taste and smell, more than a minor cough and sore throat, chills, aches, behavior changes (in children), and/or significant fatigue not attributable to other causes. While not typically associated with respiratory viruses, children with COVID-19 or flu can present with vomiting and diarrhea.

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The parent/guardian of a student diagnosed with COVID-19 should contact their child’s school nurse.

Any student who tests positive for COVID-19 should isolate (stay home and away from others) for as long as they have a fever and other COVID-19 symptoms.* The student may return to school when their symptoms have improved AND they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

Important Notes:

• ACPS will provide an antigen test to any student who requests one.
• Students returning to school prior to Day 6 (with Day 0 being the first day of symptoms or the date of the positive test, whichever came first) will be encouraged to wear a well-fitting mask through Day 5.
• For additional guidance, please visit the CDC’s web page, Respiratory Virus Guidance Update FAQs.

*COVID-19 is a type of respiratory virus. Symptoms of a respiratory virus include fever, difficulty breathing, loss of taste and smell, more than a minor cough and sore throat, chills, aches, behavior changes (in children), and/or significant fatigue not attributable to other causes. While not typically associated with respiratory viruses, children with COVID-19 or flu can present with vomiting and diarrhea.

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Employees should report a diagnosis of COVID-19 to their school nurse or supervisor as soon as possible.

Any employee who tests positive for COVID-19 should isolate (stay home and away from others) for as long as they have a fever and other COVID-19 symptoms.* The employee may return to work when their symptoms have improved AND they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

Important Notes:

• ACPS will provide an antigen test to any employee who requests one.
• Employees returning to work prior to Day 6 (with Day 0 being the first day of symptoms or the date of the positive test, whichever came first) will be encouraged to wear a well-fitting mask through Day 5.
• Following isolation, if COVID-19 symptoms recur or worsen, the employee should stay home until their symptoms have again improved AND they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
• For additional guidance, please visit the CDC’s web page, Respiratory Virus Guidance Update FAQs.

*COVID-19 is a type of respiratory virus. Symptoms of a respiratory virus include fever, difficulty breathing, loss of taste and smell, more than a minor cough and sore throat, chills, aches, behavior changes (in children), and/or significant fatigue not attributable to other causes. While not typically associated with respiratory viruses, children with COVID-19 or flu can present with vomiting and diarrhea.

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An outbreak is currently defined as three or more cases linked by a common exposure at school or work. During an outbreak, schools will report clusters of cases to the health department to determine if there is an outbreak. If an outbreak is declared, ACPS will follow the guidance of the health department, which may include temporarily implementing additional mitigation strategies to help control the spread of illness. Active outbreaks will be reported on the ACPS COVID-19 Dashboard.