The Centers for Disease Control has provided updated guidance for schools to follow in the 2022-23 school year. The New York State Departments of Health and Education have also issued joint guidance aligned with the CDC’s recommendation. The Cohoes City School District is following this latest guidance. For more information, please review “What Parents/Caregivers
Should Know about COVID Mitigation Strategies for the 2022-2023 School Year” (August 2022).
Illness/Positive COVID test
As with any infectious illness, students/staff who test positive for COVID-19, or who show symptoms, are asked to stay home from school and follow the Centers for Disease Control’s Isolation Guidance.
● Students/Staff who test positive and have no symptoms may return to school after day 5, with Day 0 being the date of the positive test.
● Students/Staff who are sick (have symptoms) and tests positive may return to school after day 5, with Day 0 being the date when symptoms began if they have been fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and symptoms are improving.
● CDC recommends that students/staff who have tested positive wear a mask through day 10.
When reporting your child’s absence, please let staff know if your child tested positive for COVID 19.
Symptoms
If symptoms begin while at school, students/staff will be asked to wear a well fitting mask while arrangements are made to go home. CCSD will provide students/staff with an at-home COVID-19 test kit, to be administered at home if needed.
Return to School after Illness
As with any illness, students or staff who test negative for COVID -19 must be fever-free for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medication before returning to school. They must be free of vomiting and diarrhea for 24 hours before returning. All students/staff with new or worsening symptoms of COVID-19 must be excluded from school, regardless of vaccination status.
Testing
The CDC recommends testing for students/staff with symptoms of COVID-19 as soon as possible.
Exposed to COVID Regardless of Vaccination Status
Quarantining when exposed to COVID 19 is no longer recommended by the CDC or NYSDOH
At-home test kits
The district has at-home COVID-19 test kits available for students. If you need a home COVID test, please contact your child’s school principal or school nurse.
Health and safety protocols
Routine cleaning in our school buildings continues to be an important strategy for reducing the spread of illness. This includes high-risk areas such as health offices, classrooms, lunchrooms, athletic rooms, bathrooms and high-traffic areas, as well as high-touch surfaces such as lunch tables, desks, chairs, light switches and handrails.
Handwashing and respiratory etiquette will continue to be encouraged.
COVID-19 vaccinations
COVID-19 vaccinations are not required to attend school. Children ages 6 months and older are all eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Children older than 5 are eligible for a booster. For more information, visit ny.gov/vaxtoschool.
Masks
Masks are not required in all district buildings and on district sponsored transportation; however, anyone may choose to wear a mask. Masking is mandatory on CDTA buses as per state regulation. Mask wearing is recommended for at least 10 days following a positive COVID test or COVID illness (see above).
Reporting COVID-19 cases
School districts in New York state are no longer required to report COVID-19 data to the New York State COVID-19 Report Card. To view the COVID-19 Community level in this area, please visit the CDC website.
Questions?
Please contact your school nurse or building principal with any questions. Thank you for ensuring our schools remain healthy.