WEM School Age Child Care

Isolation and Quarantine Guidelines

Under the pandemic planning provision of the Minnesota Human Services Licensing Act, child care license holders are required to comply with the following MDH guidance and recommendations for child care settings:

• Report cases of COVID-19 to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Minnesota Rule 4605.7070 requires any person in charge of any institution, school, child care facility, or camp to report cases of COVID-19 to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
• Notify the parent/guardian of a child who is identified as a close contact of someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
• Isolation/Quarantine for children and staff with symptoms of COVID-19, unvaccinated participants living with anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 or who tests positive for COVID-19 and  anyone who test positive for COVID-19.

All licensed child care providers are required to follow the directives listed above as a part of licensing compliance. DHS may issue licensing actions including correction orders, fines, conditional licenses, revocations, and suspensions to providers who do not comply with the MDH guidance and recommendations related to COVID-19 as specified above

If You Are Sick or Test Positive: COVID-19

It is important to separate yourself from others (isolate) if you feel sick or test positive, so you do not spread the virus to others. You may spread it to others even if you are vaccinated or do not have symptoms.

MDH has updated COVID-19 quarantine and isolation recommendations. The time that people must stay away from others (isolation) is now shorter if they have no symptoms or are only mildly ill. The isolation time is now at least five days, followed by another five days of wearing a mask at all times when around other people.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Some people infected with the virus have no symptoms. When the virus does cause symptoms, common ones include fever, body ache, dry cough, fatigue, chills, headache, sore throat, loss of appetite, and loss of smell. In some people, COVID-19 causes more severe symptoms like high fever, severe cough, and shortness of breath, which often indicates pneumonia.

People with COVID-19 can also experience neurological symptoms, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, or both. These may occur with or without respiratory symptoms.

For example, COVID-19 affects brain function in some people. Specific neurological symptoms seen in people with COVID-19 include loss of smell, inability to taste, muscle weakness, tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, dizziness, confusion, delirium, seizures, and stroke.

In addition, some people have gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain or discomfort associated with COVID-19.

All S.A.C.C. participants must continue to complete the self screening prior to arriving each day. If answering yes to any of the questions, stay home and contact the school age care coordinator as soon as possible.

If you feel sick or have any COVID-19 symptoms

Everyone, whether or not you are up to date with COVID-19 vaccination should:

• Get tested right away.
• Stay home and away from others while you wait for your test results.
• Wear a well-fitting mask if you must be around others, even in your home. Follow Recommendations for Wearing Masks.
• Wash your hands often, with soap and water. Wash for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol.
• Cover Your Cough: cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue. Throw used tissues in the trash. Wash your hands.
• If a lab test shows a negative result for the virus, but you have COVID-19 symptoms, stay home until your symptoms are better and you have been fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication.

If you test positive

• Stay home and away from others (isolate) for at least five days after your symptoms started. If you do not have symptoms, stay home for five days from the date you tested positive, even if you are fully vaccinated. Refer to the how long to stay home section below.
• Wear a well-fitting mask when around other people, even at home.
• Stay in a separate room from other household members.
• Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
• Avoid sharing personal household items (e.g., food, dishes, towels, or bedding).
• Avoid contact with other members of the household and pets.
• Tell your close contacts, including people who are fully vaccinated, that they may have been exposed to COVID-19.

How long to stay home

People who can wear a well-fitting mask

Wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days when around others, even at home. The 10 days start the day after you got symptoms. If you do not have symptoms, the 10 days start the day after you got tested.

If you have symptoms:

Stay home until all of the following are true:

• It has been five days since you first felt sick. Day zero is the day your symptoms started. Day one is the first full day after your symptoms started.
• You have had no fever (your temperature is 100 degrees Fahrenheit or lower) for at least 24 hours, without using medicine that lowers fevers.
• You feel better. Your cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms have improved. (Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation)
• No new symptoms have developed since test was taken.

You can return to S.A.C.C. on day 6 if all of the above are true. If you do not feel better at the end of five days, continue to stay home until you meet the criteria above.

If you do not have symptoms:

• Stay home and away from others for five days after your test date. Day zero is the day you got tested. You can return to S.A.C.C. on day 6 if you have not had any symptoms since testing positive.
• If you develop symptoms during this time, you must start over. Day zero is the day your symptoms start. Day one is the first full day after your symptoms started. Refer to the above section above on what to do if you have symptoms.

After your period to stay home ends, continue to do the following for another five days:

• Continue to wear a well-fitted mask, even at home.
• Do not be around others who are at risk for getting very sick from the COVID-19 virus, including older adults, those living in long-term care facilities, and people with health conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, or weakened immune systems.
• Do not go to places where you will need to take off your mask to take part in an activity (e.g., gyms, restaurants) and avoid eating near others at home and work.
• Avoid travel. If you must travel after your period to stay home ends, wear a well-fitting mask.

People unable to wear a well-fitting mask

Stay home for at least 10 full days. The 10 days start the day after you got symptoms. If you do not have symptoms, the 10 days start the day after you got tested. Count the actual day you got symptoms or got tested as day zero. You can return to S.A.C.C. on day 11.

Close Contacts and Quarantine: COVID-19

You can spread COVID-19 to others starting a couple days before you have any symptoms, and even if you never have any symptoms. If you spend time close to someone with COVID-19, you may have it, too, but you may not know it. It is important to separate yourself from others when this happens, to keep from spreading the virus to others.

If symptoms develop, isolate and test immediately for COVID-19. This includes people who are vaccinated or who had confirmed COVID-19 in the past three months.

Who needs to quarantine

If you have had close contact with someone with COVID-19, you should quarantine if:

• You are not vaccinated.
• You are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations.

For EVERYONE who needs to quarantine:

• Stay at home for at least five full days after your last close contact with someone with COVID-19.

• Count your last day of close contact with someone with COVID-19 as day zero.
• Day one starts the day after your last close contact.

• Stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home.

• Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
• Avoid sharing personal household items (e.g., food, dishes, towels, or bedding).

Find the category below that describes you, for more quarantine information:

• People able to wear a well-fitting mask and who do not develop symptoms

Count the day of your last contact with someone with COVID-19 as day zero:

• Wear a well-fitting face mask for 10 days whenever you are around other people, even at home.
• Stay home for five full days.
• Test on day five.

• If you test positive, start counting again from day zero and follow isolation recommendations
• If you test negative, finish your full five days in quarantine.

• On days six through 10:

• Avoid people who are immunocompromised or at high risk of severe disease and the settings where you may find these people.
• Avoid travel. If you must travel, wear a well-fitting mask.
• Avoid places where you need to remove your mask (e.g., gyms, restaurants).
• Continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others.

• People unable to wear a well-fitting mask

• Stay home and away from others for 10 days. Day one starts the day after your last contact with someone with COVID-19.
• Get tested on day five.

• If you test negative, continue to quarantine for the full 10 days.
• If you test positive, start counting again from day zero and follow isolation recommendations.

• If you develop symptoms, get tested and follow the guidance for isolation starting from day zero.

• If someone in your home has COVID-19

Household close contacts who are not up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations must follow the quarantine guidance above if someone in their household tests positive for COVID-19. The quarantine period begins

when household close contacts separate from the person who tests positive. If they cannot separate,

then the quarantine period begins when the person with COVID-19 ends isolation. This timeline may be

extended if additional household members test positive.

After Quarantine

• If you have symptoms, isolate immediately, get tested and follow “if you feel sick or have any COVID-19 symptoms” guidance above.

Who does not need to quarantine

If you have had a close contact with someone with COVID-19, you do not need to quarantine if:

• You are 5 years old or older and have completed ALL recommended doses of COVID-19 vaccine when eligible, including a booster or additional doses. Refer to CDC: Stay Up to Date with Your Vaccines.
• You had COVID-19 in the past three months.

After exposure to the virus, you should still:

• Wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days when around others, even at home. The 10 days start from the day after your last close contact with someone with COVID-19. The actual day of close contact is counted as day zero.
• Get tested at least five days after close contact. If you test positive, start counting again from day zero and follow isolation recommendations.
• Watch for symptoms for 10 days after close contact. If symptoms develop, stay home and away from others (isolate) and test immediately for COVID-19. Start counting again from day zero (day one is the first full day after your symptoms start) and follow isolation recommendations.. This includes people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past three months, even if they are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.

Definitions

Quarantine: Staying home and away from others when you may have been exposed to the virus.

Isolation: Staying home and away from others when you test positive, feel sick, or have COVID-19 symptoms.

Well-fitting mask: A mask that fits snugly over your nose, mouth, and chin and does not have gaps around the edges.

Resources:

MDH Schools and Child Care: Covid-19

MDH Covid-19 Isolation Guide for Schools, Child Care and Youth Programming

MDH Covid-19 Quarantine Guide for Schools, Child Care and Youth Programming

MDH If You are Sick or Test Positive: COVID-19

MDH Close Contacts and Quarantine: COVID-19