Ossining To Send Kids Home For The Holidays With COVID-19 Test Kits

OSSINING, NY — To prevent a wave of COVID-19 cases in January, Ossining school officials will send COVID-19 test kits home with students when winter recess starts Dec. 23.

"We encourage families to use these tests prior to returning on Tuesday, January 3rd," said Superintendent Ray Sanchez in a notice to parents and guardians.

Cases of coronavirus, as well as cases of influenza and respiratory system virus, are expected to rise during the holidays, health officials predict. Nationally, COVID-19 rates and hospitalizations have already ticked up slightly since Thanksgiving. And children are vulnerable: In New York, just 13.4 percent of those 5 and up have gotten an updated booster shot. SEE: NY Residents Should Consider Masking Up During The Holidays: CDC

Ossining officials said each kit to be sent home includes two tests. They should be done at least 24 hours apart. Parents should contact their child's building school nurse if he or she tests positive. Used test kits should not be returned to school.

The district's guidelines:

• Students who have ANY COVID-19 symptom(s) should stay home.
• COVID-19 testing and/or follow up with a healthcare provider is strongly recommended.
• Students must be fever free x 24 hours (without fever reducing medication) and have other symptom improvement before returning to school.
• Call your School Building attendance office to report all absences and call your Building school nurse with any questions.

If your child tests positive for COVID-19, notify your Building School nurse and:

• Students who test positive for COVID-19 and have or had symptoms should isolate for at least 5 days. (To calculate the 5-day isolation period, Day 0 is the first day of symptoms. Day 1 is the first full day after their symptoms developed). Students who test positive for COVID-19 but remain asymptomatic (symptom free) Day 0 is the day they were tested (not the day you received the positive test result), Day 1 is the first full day following the day they were tested. If symptoms develop within 10 days of when they were tested, the clock restarts at Day 0 on the day of symptom onset.
• Isolation can end after 5 full days if fever-free for at least 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) AND 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).
• Masks must be worn through day 10 or may be removed sooner than day 10 with two sequential negative COVID antigen tests done 48 hours apart.
• Note: If COVID antigen test results are positive, individuals may still be infectious. Continue wearing a mask and wait at least 48 hours before taking another test. Continue taking antigen tests at least 48 hours apart until you have two sequential negative results. This may mean you need to continue wearing a mask and testing beyond day 10.
• If individuals continue to have fever or other symptoms have not improved after 5 days of isolation, they should continue isolation until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication and other symptoms have improved. Continue wearing a well-fitting mask and contact their healthcare provider with questions.

Exposed individuals, regardless of vaccination status, who are asymptomatic (symptom free) may remain in school.

The CDC recommends that those exposed to COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status or history of prior COVID-19 infection, wear a well-fitting face mask x 10 days in public indoor settings (including school settings) and test on or after day 5 or sooner if symptoms develop.