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Introduction

The Berlin Public Schools' health and safety practices are developed using CDC, state, and local health department guidance.  Our goal is to keep students healthy and in school as much as possible during this school year.

Please review the below practices to inform decision-making in your own home. Reach out to your school nurse with any questions about your child.

 Weekly Covid-19 Updates


              

Vaccinations

All students and staff are strongly encouraged to be up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters prior to the start of school. Recent state guidance notes that: "Vaccinations are the first and most important line of defense in preventing respiratory diseases like COVID-19 and influenza from disrupting the continuous operation of schools...Everyone 6 months of age or older can receive both a COVID-19 vaccine and a seasonal vaccine for influenza." 

Tests

There are many illnesses that have symptoms similar to COVID-19. Students and staff should test if they have any such symptoms. Free COVID-19 testing kits are available at each school for students, staff, and their families. Families may call the school health office to request testing kits.

Masks

Mask wearing is currently optional in our buildings.  If you are returning after 5 days of COVID-19 isolation, it is recommended, but not required, that a mask is worn through day 10. Masks will be made available for students or staff at individual schools as needed.

Please note:

  • The CDC recommends that anyone with significant exposure (for example, when a household member or other close contact tests positive), but who have no symptoms wear a mask for 10 days and test on day 5 regardless of vaccine status. This is recommended, but not required.
  • We encourage anyone with mild respiratory symptoms and a negative COVID test to wear a mask to protect the health of others.

Isolation

Please call your child’s school directly to notify them of positive COVID tests and isolate those who test positive to help control the spread of the virus. All people with COVID-19 should undergo isolation for at least 5 full days. Day 0 is considered as the day symptoms began or the day of the positive test. After 5-days of isolation, students and staff may return if they are fever-free for at least 24 hours and other symptoms are significantly improved. Returning students and staff are encouraged to wear masks for the next 5 days to protect the health of others.

Track and Inform

The Berlin Public Schools will start the school year tracking staff and student cases. This information will be shared with the Connecticut Department of Public Health. We will update information weekly in our COVID-19 Dashboard.

Cleaning and Sanitizing

We regularly clean and sanitize/disinfect our schools. Surfaces throughout schools such as classrooms, bathrooms, etc. are maintained on a regular basis. All products used for cleaning and sanitizing/disinfecting are safer for students and staff and have been approved by our Director of Facilities.

Ventilation


The subjects of healthy learning environments and facility conditions in regard to our schools have been foremost in our thoughts, discussions and actions for a long while. Recently, especially due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, there has been an even greater focus on the components of measuring and regulating air quality in our buildings since it relates to the continuing health of our students and staff.


The BOE, the School Administration and the Town of Berlin have supported the study and investigation of the existing conditions in our classrooms and facilities, as well as implemented procedures and policies that will positively affect the air quality presented currently and in the future. In addition to pursuing compliance with the State of Connecticut’s recent directives related to providing healthy environments for educational activities, the Town of Berlin has planned for, and invested in, the renovation and improvement of the HVAC systems in all our schools.


Test-Mask-Go (from the DPH, CSDE, OEC)

TEST-MASK-GO is an optional strategy designed to increase the number of days of in-person learning and care available to children, both to improve the social/emotional/physical wellbeing of students, staff, and their families and to enhance learning recovery. The fall and spring allergy seasons combined with New England winters present a challenge for schools, child care, and youth camp facilities that were advised in previous years to exclude individuals from in-person attendance if they had any of a long list of symptoms associated with COVID-19. 

Schools, child care programs, and camp operators choosing to utilize a Test-Mask-Go strategy can give children and staff with mild respiratory disease symptoms (e.g., infrequent cough, congestion, runny nose, sore throat, etc.) the option to continue participating in-person provided: 

  • they are fever-free (< 100°F) and feel well enough to participate,
  • they do not live with anyone who has had COVID-19 in the past 2 weeks,
  • they can wear a mask consistently and correctly, and
  • they test negative for COVID-19 prior to reporting in person on every day they have symptoms, as well as one final test on the morning their symptoms have completely resolved.

Individuals who have any respiratory disease symptoms should not use the Test-Mask-Go strategy if: 

  • they have a fever (≥ 100°F) or feel feverish (they should not report in person until their fever has resolved for at least 24 hours without the use of medication)
  • they live with a person who recently tested positive for COVID-19 (within the past 2 weeks)

Symptoms of Covid-19 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

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can exhibit mild to severe symptoms. (from the CDC website)