COVID-19 Information and Updates

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Reopening Plan - Fall 2022

REPORT COVID-19 CASES HERE

(Updated August 29, 2022)

While the COVID-19 pandemic has eased a bit, we must be aware that the disease is still among us and is easily spread. It is important that we remain vigilant while going about our daily work to provide the best and safest opportunities for all students. This includes monitoring the health of each child and staff member each day, keeping them home when sick, and testing for COVID-19 if symptoms suggest.

1.      Continue to focus on personal hygiene (frequent hand-washing, minimal sharing of supplies, proper sneeze and cough etiquette).

2.      Maintain the expectation of daily self-checks for symptoms or possible exposure to positive cases by staff members and families of students.

3.      Ongoing use of improved air filtration systems to remove particles and contaminants from indoor air.

4.      Continue to promote vaccines for students in approved age groups, with potential for vaccination clinics throughout the fall.

5. Follow US CDC guidance on Isolation and quarantine for People with COVID-19.

According to the US CDC (August 11, 2022):

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms.

Possible symptoms include:

  • Fever or chills

  • Cough

  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

  • Fatigue

  • Muscle or body aches

  • Headache

  • New loss of taste or smell

  • Sore throat

  • Congestion or runny nose

  • Nausea or vomiting

  • Diarrhea

This list does not include all possible symptoms. CDC will continue to update this list as we learn more about COVID-19. Older adults and people who have underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19.

Feeling Sick?

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, consider the following options:

ISOLATION GUIDELINES for people with COVID-19

Regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate from others when you have COVID-19. You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results. If your results are positive, follow the full isolation recommendations below. If your results are negative, you can end your isolation.

IF YOU TEST Negative: You can end your isolation

IF YOU TEST Positive: Stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home and wear a high quality mask if you must be around others.

When you have COVID-19, isolation is counted in days, as follows:

If you had no symptoms

  • Day 0 is the day you were tested (not the day you received your positive test result)

  • Day 1 is the first full day following the day you were tested

  • If you develop symptoms within 10 days of when you were tested, the clock restarts at day 0 on the day of symptom onset

If you had symptoms

  • Day 0 of isolation is the day of symptom onset, regardless of when you tested positive

  • Day 1 is the first full day after the day your symptoms started

You may end isolation after day 5 if:

  • You are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication)

  • Your symptoms are improving

If you still have fever or your other symptoms have not improved, continue to isolate until they improve.

If you had moderate illness (if you experienced shortness of breath or had difficulty breathing), or severe illness (you were hospitalized) due to COVID-19, or you have a weakened immune system, you need to isolate through day 10.

If you had severe illness or have a weakened immune system, consult your doctor before ending isolation. Ending isolation without a viral test may not be an option for you.

If you are unsure if your symptoms are moderate or severe or if you have a weakened immune system, talk to a healthcare provider for further guidance.

Regardless of when you end isolation, avoid being around people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 until at least day 11. Remember to wear a high-quality mask when indoors around others at home and in public and not go places where you are unable to wear a mask until you are able to discontinue masking (see below). For travel guidance, see CDC’s Travel webpage.

After you have ended isolation, when you are feeling better (no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and symptoms improving),

  • Wear your mask through day 10.

OR

  • If you have access to antigen tests, you should consider using them. With two sequential negative tests 48 hours apart, you may remove your mask sooner than day 10.

Federal Relief Spending-use of funds

Throughout 2020 and 2021, federal relief funds have been provided to the Yarmouth Schools in the amount of $3,176,191. The bulk of those funds were spent hiring additional staff to assist with remote learning, physical distancing, cleaning of facilities, and student health support. Monies were also expended to upgrade ventilation systems in each school, rent tents to provide for outdoor classrooms, and purchase technology hardware, software, and licenses to assist in student learning. A summary of expenditures is provided here.

Updated December 2021

Updated June 2022

UPDATES

December 2021: Yarmouth Schools reopened in September 2021 in accordance with the “Plan for Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services” adopted on August 16, 2021. The Plan was reviewed and revised on November 18, 2021, January 13, 2022, and October 13, 2022.

Implementation of the Plan continued between January 13, 2022 and June 30, 2022. The Plan was reviewed on February 10, 2022, and February 28, 2022 and August 11, 2022 by the Yarmouth School Committee.

Archived Reopening Plans:

Plan for Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services

Increasing in-person learning, Spring 2021

Returning to Learning, Fall 2020