School will be starting this fall and the Anchorage School District is working with local pediatricians to create a plan for students and their families. Schools are taking precautions to keep students healthy and are depending on parents to know when kids should stay home from school.
When to stay home and call your child’s doctor’s office:
Fever greater than 100.4oF, chills, or a presumed fever (your child feels very warm)
New cough
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting, diarrhea
Skin Lesions/Rash
Exposure to someone with the above symptoms or someone with known COVID-19
If your child has traveled outside the state of Alaska, they will need to follow the state guidelines on testing/quarantine before returning to school (see below for details)*
When to seek urgent medical care:
Difficulty breathing
Not eating or drinking
Difficulty waking or staying awake
My child has been sent home from school due to concern for potential COVID- 19 symptoms, now what?
Call your child’s doctor’s office and speak with their team about telehealth visit, in-person visit, or COVID-19 testing
Your child will not be able to return to school until they have testing and/or have a period of isolation at home as outlined below for a confirmed COVID-19 case.
You may be required to provide a clearance note from their doctor’s office or proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to returning to school
Continue to have your child wear a cloth face covering, wash their hands often, and maintain social distancing.
When can my child go back to school if they have confirmed COVID-19?
If they had symptoms of illness (cough, congestion, diarrhea) and positive COVID-19 test:
10 days since symptoms first appearedAND
24 hours with no fever (without the use of Tylenol/acetaminophen or Motrin/ibuprofen)AND
Symptoms have improved
If they had no symptoms of illness and positive COVID-19 test:
10 days have passed since test
What if my child does not have a doctor?
Contact your school nurse or Health Services at 742-4136
*Travel restrictions:
Upon returning to Alaska, your child will need COVID-19 testing prior to returning to school. They will be out of school until they have had two negative COVID-19 tests, 7 to 14 days apart.
Negative test within 72 hours of travel to Alaska 2ndnegative test in 7-14 days
Negative test within 5 days of travel to Alaska test at airport 2ndnegative test in 7-14 days
No test before travel to Alaska test at airport 2ndnegative test in 7-14 days
