Letter from Nurse Fangman 10/9/2020
Talawanda School District
Returning to School during COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic
The symptoms of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) are like many other childhood illnesses/conditions. In order to provide the safest learning environment in our buildings, the Nurses at Talawanda will be very cautious when deciding if a student needs to leave school. We appreciate your support when these decisions are made.
Students with a new onset of Cough, Shortness of Breath or NEW loss of taste and/or smell are suspected to have COVID-19. They will need to be picked up from school immediately and follow the steps below.
If your student has two (2) or more of the following symptoms they will also need to be picked up from school immediately and follow the steps below.
- Chills/fever
- Congestion (nasal or sinus)/Runny nose â— Fatigue
- Headache
- Muscle/body aches â— Nausea/Vomiting/Diarrhea â— Sore throat
As in previous years, students with a fever of >100.0, will be sent home.
- If a fever of >100.0 was their only symptom, they can return when they are fever free for 72 hrs, without fever reducing medications.
- If they had a fever of >100.0 and any symptom listed above, they must follow the steps listed below.
If your child is sent home from school for a suspected case or symptoms of COVID we ask that you do not return to school until your child meets the criteria below.
- If your child is sick and does not get tested for COVID-19, your child must stay at home for 10 days or as directed by the health department. Please call your doctor for further evaluation. *Please note that COVID testing or negative test results are not required to return to school. However, if your child is ill and not tested, he/she must stay home for at least 10 days unless a doctor’s note stating an alternate diagnosis or note showing a negative test result is provided.
- If your child was tested and found to be positive for COVID, your child may return to school as directed by the Butler County Health Department, (which is usually 10 days after the date of their positive test). A negative test result is not required to return to school after isolating for 10 days. Students must also be fever free for 72 hours, without fever reducing medication, and have an improvement of their symptoms before returning to school.
- If your child has a COVID-19 test that is negative, he/she may return to school after getting the negative results and when he/she has been fever free for 72 hours (without fever reducing medicine) and when symptoms have improved for 72 hours. A note showing negative test results is required before returning to school.
- If your child visits a healthcare provider and gets a diagnosis other than COVID-19 he/she can return once they have met the criteria to return, based on the diagnosis. Again, they must be fever free, without fever reducing medication for 72 hours. Please show this letter to your medical provider since Talawanda requires a doctor’s note stating the alternate diagnosis before your child can return to school.
**Additionally, any siblings must begin to quarantine when they arrive home from school today. They may return to school if your doctor provides an alternative diagnosis or you receive a negative COVID-19 test result.**
Please reach out to your school nurse if you have any questions. Thank you!
Tonja Fangman, BSN, RN, LSN
Talawanda District Nurse
