For Parents · Health · Revised 8.8.2024
Respiratory illness guidance
McGuffey’s protocols are based on current government recommendations and the judgment of the Head of School and classroom staff. Parents are informed by email when there are substantive edits.
Per CDC guidance
Covering respiratory illnesses including Covid, RSV, and Influenza
Stay home when sick
If a student or staff member has respiratory virus symptoms (fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, headache, among others), they will stay home. They may return when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:
- Symptoms are improving overall, and
- Fever has dissipated (without the use of fever-reducing medication)
A fever is not always present, so attention is paid to other symptoms. “Improving” means a person no longer feels ill, can do their daily routine as before, and any remaining symptoms are very mild or infrequent. Severity of symptoms is loosely connected to contagiousness.
Added precautions for five days
When returning to school, precautions over the next five days will be added, including hygiene, masks, and/or testing.
- People may still be able to spread the virus that made them sick, even when they are feeling better.
- If a fever develops or symptoms worsen after returning, students and staff will again stay home as in Phase One.
Examples
What this looks like
Example 1: Person with fever and symptoms
Example 2: Person with fever but no other symptoms
Example 3: Fever ends, but other symptoms take longer to improve
Example 4: Person gets better and then gets a fever
If you never had symptoms but tested positive for a respiratory virus, you may be contagious. For the next five days, take added precautions such as steps for cleaner air, hygiene, masks, physical distancing, and testing when around other people indoors.
Testing
Guidance on Covid testing
CDC guidance
- Plan in advance of any illness so you can be ready to get tested quickly. Have enough tests and masks on hand for your entire household.
- Antigen tests can be used for screening before gathering with others, especially to help protect people with risk factors for severe illness. False negatives are possible; false positives are uncommon.
FDA guidance: if you tested negative with an at-home antigen test…
| And you… | Then |
|---|---|
| Have COVID-19 symptoms AND were exposed | Assume you have COVID-19 and your initial test did not detect the virus. Take public health precautions and recommended steps after exposure. Test again after 48 hours. Consider a laboratory-based molecular test or call your healthcare provider. |
| Have COVID-19 symptoms and no known exposure | You could still have COVID-19, or another illness. Take public health precautions. Test again after 48 hours. Consider a laboratory-based molecular test or call your healthcare provider. |
| Do not have COVID-19 symptoms but WERE exposed | You could still have COVID-19. Take recommended steps after exposure. Test again after 48 hours, and again 48 hours after a second negative test, for a total of 3 tests over 5 days. Continue to take public health precautions. |
| Do not have COVID-19 symptoms and no known exposure | It is unlikely you have COVID-19, but you should still test again after 48 hours, and again 48 hours after a second negative test, for a total of 3 tests over 5 days. Continue to take public health precautions. |
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McGuffey Montessori School5128 Westgate Drive, Oxford, OH 45056 · (513) 523-7742
A privately run Montessori school educating students from preschool through Grade 8 since 1983.