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Family Resources » COVID-19 Information and Guidance

COVID-19 Information and Guidance

Pathways is a public school and therefore governed by health orders from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Cal-OSHA as it relates to our employees and students. We understand there is sometimes conflicting and confusing information distributed by the CDC, the CDPH, and the various county public health departments. However, Pathways must operate under the directives of the CDPH and Cal-OSHA.
This page is monitored and updated frequently. If you have questions, reach out to your regional center manager or your local county health department.
 
Statement on Community-Oriented Approach
Throughout the course of the pandemic, schools have worked closely with their state and county public health departments, as well as their communities to slow the spread and keep students and staff safe. As we enter the endemic phase of COVID, we are transitioning to a community-oriented approach. What that means is that public health departments and schools are now heavily relying on community members to play a larger role. Some of the shifts you will begin to see are:
        • Families are expected to keep all sick persons home. Refer to our sick policy and do not come to campus if you are COVID-positive.
        • Families are expected to take a greater role in at-home testing and reporting positive results to the school. 
        • Families are expected to take responsibility for masking as appropriate. 
        • Families are expected to take a greater role in notifying schools of illness(es) that would keep their students home.
        • You have a responsibility to self-notify the schools and close contacts if you or anyone in your household tests positive.   
 
Use the links and tabs below for more information and guidance on COVID-19.
 
Screening Checklists
If you feel ill and are unsure about your COVID status, test. Staff, students, and parents/guardians visiting learning centers may also use these screening tools as a guide prior to coming to a learning center.
 
Masking Guidance
 
Facemasks
Effective May 11, 2023, the CDC will no longer calculate the COVID-19 Community Levels as a result of the sunsetting of the federal public health emergency. As a result, CDPH is sunsetting its Guidance for the Use of Face Masks and is recommending all Californians consider the following:
  • Wear a mask around others if you have respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, runny nose, and/or sore throat),
  • If you've had significant exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, wear a mask for 10 days.
  • When choosing to wear a mask, ensure your mask provides the best fit and filtration (respirators like N95, KN95, and KF94 are best).  
  • Anyone who wants to continue wearing their mask is welcome to do so. Pathways will continue to provide masks to those who wish to access them. 

Isolation Guidance

*Staff who test positive are required by Pathways and CalOSHA to report their test to the school HR. 

Persons Who Test Positive for COVID-19 Recommended Actions
Everyone, regardless of vaccination status, previous infection, or lack of symptoms.

Persons in healthcare settings** should follow recommendations and requirements as listed below.

Stay home (PDF) for at least 5 days after start of symptoms (Day 0) or after date of first positive test (Day 0) if no symptoms).

  • ​Isolation can end after Day 5 if:​​​​​​
    • ​Sy​mptoms are not present, or are mild and im​​​​proving; AND
    • ​You are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication).

  • ​If fever is present, isolation should be continued until 24 hours after fever resolves.

  • If symptoms, other than fever, are not improving, continue to isolate until symptoms are improving or until after Day 10. 

  • If th​e confirmed case has severe symptoms, or is at high risk of serious disease or has questions concerning care, they should contact their healthcare provider for available treatments.

  • Infected persons should wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings.*

  • ​​After you have ended isolation, if your symptoms recur or worsen, get tested again and if positive, restart isolation at Day 0.

*After ending isolation (no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and symptoms are improving), confirmed cases may remove their mask sooner than Day 10 if they have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart. If antigen test results are positive, the person may still be infectious and should continue wearing a mask and wait at least one day before taking another test.

What to do if you test positive for COVID?

 
If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to your regional center manager or principal. 
Close Contact (No Quarantine)
 
Asymptomatic Persons Who are Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (No Quarantine) Recommended Actions

Everyone, regardless of vaccination status.

Persons infected within the prior 30 days do not need to be tested, quarantined, or excluded from work unless symptoms develop.

Persons in healthcare settings** should follow recommendations and requirements as listed below.

  • Test within 3-5 days after last expos​ure.

  • Close contacts should wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings and when near those at higher risk for severe COVID-19 disease (see masking section below for additional information).

  • Strongly encouraged to get vaccinated or boosted.

  • If symptoms develop, test, and stay home (see earlier section on symptomatic persons), AND

  • If test result is positive, follow isolation recommendations above (Table 1).
 
When in doubt, reach out to your regional center manager or principal. 
ALWAYS notify the school if you have tested positive for COVID. 
Testing
Report your test results
Informe los resultados de su prueba
CDPH Masking Materials
- Get the most out of masking
- Masks for kids: Tips and Resources
COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California
Schools Reopening:
The documents below help describe how Pathways has prepared for reopening: