School Year 2020-21
What to Expect (2020-21)

CLOSE CONTACTS

How is a close contact defined?
If a student or staff member tests positive for Covid-19, their close contacts are defined per the Department of Public Health as those who have been within 6 feet of an infected individual for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. The infectious period begins 2 days prior to symptom onset. If someone is asymptomatic, the infectious period is considered to begin 2 days prior to the collection of their positive test.

What is expected if a student is identified as a close contact?
If the student is home, s/he should remain at home. If at school, you will be contacted by phone and asked to pick him/her up as soon as possible, but no later than 3 PM. Students identified as close contacts will be quarantined while awaiting pick up and not be permitted to travel on school transportation. Per the Massachusetts Department of Health, if the close contact chooses not to be tested, s/he must self-quarantine for at least 10 days after the last exposure to the person who tested positive; or receive a test on day 5 or later from exposure being able to return to school after day 7 with a negative test result. Finally, we will inform the community via email that a person has reported that someone they have been in close contact with had tested positive for COVID-19 on a certain date and that the person is being tested and will not return to school until it is safe to do so.

What will a close-contact notification look like?
Notification of close contacts will all be done via a telephone call directly to the parent/guardian.
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