As students begin returning to the classroom the Pennyrile District Health Department has released information surrounding contact tracing as an easy to use guide for parents should positive cases be announced in their school district.
Health department officials state when someone within a school tests positive for the virus they will coordinate with school officials to determine all close contacts of the infected person, which is anyone who was within six feet of the infected person for at least 15 minutes. Parents will then be contacted by the health department if their child has been determined a close contact.
Each child determined a close contact will then be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days from the last point of contact with the infected person. Health department officials note only the child is a close contact meaning others within the home are not required to quarantine.
Health department officials are asking parents to monitor their child’s health by taking their temperature twice a day and watch for any COVID-19 symptoms including fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. If a child has developed symptoms immediately notify the health department and contact their primary care physician. The primary care physician will then determine if the child should be tested for COVID-19.
Health department officials also state a contact tracer from the health department will frequently call and check in with the child and family throughout the quarantine to help monitor the child’s health. The contact tracer will also be available to answer any quarantine questions and will be responsible for releasing the child at the end of the 14 day period.
For more information about contact tracing, or what you should do if you or your child develops COVID-19 related symptoms, you can contact the Pennyrile District Health Department at 270-388-9747 or click here.
