COVID-19 Protocols
General Quarantine Guidelines
All individuals must remain at home when sick or experiencing any COVID-like symptoms to minimize the chance of spreading COVID-19. Additionally, School families are obligated to report positive COVID-19 diagnoses, COVID-19 symptoms, or close contact cases to the school office at health@shwschool.org.
Fully vaccinated individuals, related to current CDC guidelines on quarantines, are defined as those that:
- Have received the booster, OR
- Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines within the last 6 months, OR
- Completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months
If someone tests positive for COVID, regardless of vaccination status, the individual must:
- Isolate for a full 5 days regardless if symptoms are present or not and regardless if any symptoms resolve before the 5 days are complete.
- The individual must be fever-free for 24 hours before leaving isolation. The 5-day rule still applies, but if a fever is present after 5 days, the individual must remain isolated until fever-free for 24 hours
*There is no need to test before leaving isolation (though the individual could remain COVID positive for some time, the person is no longer contagious).
If a vaccinated individual is a close contact with a positive individual:
- There is no need to quarantine at home as long as the individual is not symptomatic. The individual must wear a mask around others for 10 days after exposure.
- Testing is recommended 5 days after exposure OR if symptoms develop.
If someone who is unvaccinated is a close contact with a positive individual:
- The individual must quarantine at home for 5 days and continue to wear masks around others for 5 more days.
- Testing is recommended 5 days after exposure OR if symptoms develop
Note: In the absence of a definitive test result (such as that from a PCR test), if you have symptoms, assume it is COVID and start masking at all times, remain at home and observe all mitigation measures as a necessary precaution for your health and that of others.
Individuals with Prior COVID-Positive Diagnosis within Past 90 Days
People are presumed immune for 90 days after a COVID-positive diagnosis and have completed the minimum 5 days of isolation and remain symptom-free. Therefore, these individuals are not subject to either domestic or international travel quarantines during their 90-day immunity period (they must have proof of positive diagnosis testing date). After 90-days, these exceptions no longer apply, and any unvaccinated person must follow the quarantine guidelines noted above for all non-vaccinated individuals.