We want to ensure our students, families and staff fully understand what it means to isolate and/or quarantine. Isolating and quarantining are tools we use to reduce COVID-19 transmission rates, and in turn, keep our schools open and safe. Isolation and quarantine both mean restricting your exposure to other people because you have potentially been exposed to an infectious disease.
Isolation
You are placed in isolation if you are displaying COVID-like symptoms or you test positive.
When in isolation you must stay home and away from others. Only have contact with those who are providing you care.
Do not go out in public, except to seek medical treatment. This means you should not go to school, the store, a friend’s home, soccer practice, church group, the gym, etc.
Isolation lasts for at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms, and until an individual is 24 hours without fever. The isolation period is 10 days because most people positive with COVID are no longer infectious after 10 days. Note: Academy District 20 will alert you when you can return to school.
Quarantine
You are placed in quarantine when you have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 or who is probable for COVID-19, meaning they are displaying COVID-like symptoms.
When in quarantine you must stay home, avoid all public places and keep away from others who are not part of your immediate family.
Do not go out in public, except to seek medical treatment. This means you should not go to school, the store, a friend’s home, soccer practice, church group, the gym, etc.
Stay home for 10 days after your last contact with the individual who has, or is suspected to have, the virus. The quarantine period is 10 days for a close contact because in most cases, symptoms appear 2 to 10 days after their last known exposure to the virus.
To be cautious, you should continue to monitor yourself for symptoms for an additional 4 days after the end of quarantine and report any symptoms to the school.
You must not be in contact with people who are elderly or at risk for severe illness for the full 14 days (10 days of quarantine + four days of continuing to monitor symptoms).
If an individual in quarantine lives in the same household as a symptomatic person in isolation, the close contact must remain home for the 10 days of isolation and then quarantine for 10 more days to ensure they do not develop symptoms. Note: Academy District 20 will alert you when you can return to school.
If you become symptomatic during a quarantine, you should notify the school immediately. In addition, you should get tested to avoid further spread of the disease. If you test positive, notify the school, as you will need to be placed in isolation and follow the guidelines listed above.
We recognize isolations and quarantines are disruptive to students, families and staff. We are following guidelines from El Paso County Public Health and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Each case is taken seriously, and we work hard to only quarantine when necessary.
We ask that our students, families and staff please follow through with all isolation and quarantine recommendations. This not only allows our students to attend school more safely, but it also helps ensure our schools stay open.