MONROE — The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on childhood education since schools across Wisconsin and the country closed during the spring of 2020. Managing the start of a school year is challenging in the best of times, and is especially stressful for students, parents, teachers, and school staff during a global pandemic. As the new school year begins, school districts, local health departments, and community members are all working together to keep students, teachers, staff, and their families safe in a number of ways.
COVID-19 is easily transmitted from person-to-person while in close contact through respiratory droplets and aerosol particles released by infected persons when coughing, sneezing, singing, talking, and breathing. The virus is particularly dangerous for older adults and people of all ages with underlying health conditions and/or compromised immune systems.
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has collaborated with the Department of Health Services and other stakeholders to develop guidance and resources to support school planning efforts to control the spread of infection in schools, which can be found on the DPI website. In addition, DHS has also released guidelines for the prevention, investigation, and control of COVID-19 outbreaks in K-12 schools. In addition to these resources Green County Public Health is utilizing data about the COVID-19 transmission levels, vaccination levels, hospitalizations, and testing levels in our communities to make informed decisions about any changes needed in school settings, including masking, physical distancing, screening testing, and other layered prevention strategies.
“Green County Public Health recognizes the importance of in-person attendance and is working with area schools to make sure that schools are a safe environment for everyone,” said RoAnn Warden, Health Officer/Director. “Throughout the pandemic we have met with district administrators and school nurses to coordinate contact tracing, vaccination efforts, and discuss strategies to mitigate the spread of this virus.”
If a probable or confirmed case of COVID-19 is identified among students, teachers, or staff, Green County Public Health will begin a case investigation with the school as soon as possible. This includes detecting positive cases, isolating sick people, contact tracing, quarantining close contacts, and infection control measures to prevent additional transmission. Parents or guardians will be notified on what to do if their child has had contact with someone with COVID-19 or tests positive for COVID-19.
In order to safely maintain in-person instruction, Green County Public Health reminds parents, students, and community members to take the following precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19:
● Get vaccinated as soon as you are able;
● Stay home when sick and do not send your student(s) to school if sick;
● Watch for symptoms of COVID-19, which include fever and chills, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, fatigue and body/muscle aches, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea;
● Seek testing from a provider if symptoms of COVID-19 occur or you were exposed to someone with COVID-19;
● Keep physical distance of at least 6 feet from anyone not part of your household if you are not fully vaccinated;
● Wear a mask or cloth face covering indoors in public spaces if you are not fully vaccinated and indoors with others not in your household if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission; and
● Frequently wash your hands and cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve.
Green County school administrators can reach out to Green County Public Health to get advice on how to keep their students and faculty safe. We encourage the public to frequently monitor the Green County Public Health Facebook page and website, the DHS website, and to follow @DHSWI on Facebook and Twitter, or dhs.wi on Instagram. Additional information can be found on the CDC website.
