Please contact your child's House Dean if you receive a positive result from the take home COVID-19 test.
House 1: Mr. Shapiro- jshapiro5@schools.nyc.gov
House 2: Mr. Sangirardi- msangir@schools.nyc.gov
House 3: Ms. Mierzejewski- vmierzejewski@schools.nyc.gov
House 4: Mr. Ziegler- rziegler@schools.nyc.gov
5/12/2022 10:32 AM
Dear Family of I.S. 125 Thom J. McCann Woodside at 46-02 47 AVENUE
I am writing to notify you that a member or members of our school community have tested positive for COVID-19 and may have exposed others while at school.
Below you will find guidance on next steps that will help keep our school community healthy and safe. The information below reflects the expertise of the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), Test & Trace Corp (T2), and the New York City Department of Education (DOE).
What Happens Now?
· If your child is in Kindergarten through Grade 12 and this is the first time within the last five days that your child was exposed in school, your child will come home with a COVID test kit today.
` Your child will not receive a home test kit if:
` Your child was previously exposed within the last five days and has already received a test kit.
` If your child has recovered from COVID in the last 90 days.
· The kit contains two tests. Please follow the directions below to use the tests.
` Please help your child take the first test on the day they receive the home test. If the test is negative, your child can continue to attend school.
` Please help your child take the second test on the fifth day after exposure.
· Your child may continue to attend school as long as your child receives negative test results both times and does not experience any symptoms of COVID-19. It is strongly recommended that anyone exposed to COVID wears a well-fitting mask for 10 days from their last exposure, such as a KN95 or KF94, or uses a cloth mask over a disposable mask to improve the fit and add layers.
· If your child has COVID-like symptoms or feels ill at any point after receiving the home test, please have your child isolate and take the 2nd home test. They may continue to attend school as long as they do not have COVID symptoms.
· If your child tests positive on either home test, you must notify your child’s school and your child must isolate for at least 5 days.
· Any student that has a positive COVID-19 test (at-home, rapid, PCR test, etc.) is entitled to asynchronous instruction and access to Office Hours from their teachers.
· If your child is at least 2 years old in a Pre-K, 3-K or LYFE program, they must quarantine for at least 5 days since their last exposure. In order to test to return to school on Day 6, your child must be asymptomatic, and have a negative lab-based test taken on Day 5, or 2 negative home tests, taken on Day 4 and Day 5 respectively. Your school will send your child home with a COVID Test kit so they can test to return from quarantine on Day 6. Children that do not get tested can return after quarantining for 10 days. Children who return on Day 6 must wear a well-fitting mask until Day 10.
· If your child is under 2 years old in a LYFE program, they must quarantine for at least 8 days since their last exposure. In order to test to return to school on Day 8, your child must be asymptomatic, and have a negative lab-based test taken on Day 5. Children that do not get tested can return after quarantining for 10 days. Note: home test kits are not considered valid for children under 2 years old, unless administered by a health care provider.
· Students that have had, and recovered from, COVID within the last 90 days do not need to quarantine.
How do I use test kits distributed at school?
All test kits come with printed instructions, please follow these instructions when administering the test. You can also check your test kit and watch a video on how to use your test kit. Videos in multiple languages can be found at https://www.schools.nyc.gov/HomeRapidTestKits.
How do we stay healthy?
Vaccination is the most important tool we have to protect ourselves from COVID-19. All New Yorkers age 5 or older are eligible to be vaccinated for COVID-19. People who are between 5 and 17 years old are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine only; all older ages are eligible for all three vaccines. We encourage all eligible students to get vaccinated. Find a vaccine site today at https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/. There is no cost to be vaccinated.
Vaccine booster shots are now available for all fully vaccinated people 12 and older. These shots boost your immunity from an initial vaccination series. A booster shot is recommended for any adult who received the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at least five months ago, the second dose of the Moderna vaccine at least six months ago, or the one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago.
Please remember to follow these important actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:
1. Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).
2. Wear a face covering if you are symptomatic or exposed to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Children ages 2 through 4 should continue to be masked indoors at all times.
3. Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.
How can I stay updated?
We will continue to closely follow directions from public health experts and proactively update you on any measures we are taking. To ensure we can reach you via text and email, please create a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) as soon as possible by visiting schools.nyc.gov/nycsa
To help New Yorkers quarantine, the NYC Test + Trace Corps partners with community-based organizations to connect individuals to resources like food, medicine, and health care. To connect with resources, you can call 1-212-COVID19 (212-268-4319).
Sincerely,
Matthew Borelli
