Thank you for your continued support as we kick off the 2021-2022 school year. At Amesbury Public Schools, keeping your students safe and in school is our top priority. We have learned a great deal over this past year and our current guidance and procedures reflect the most updated recommendations from the CDC and Massachusetts Department of Public Health. There is no charge for participating. Please note that testing is optional.

To participate in the program, you must sign this consent form

https://www.cic-health.com/consent/ma

For the 2021-22 school year, we are offering an extra layer of protection to prevent the spread of COVID-19, our COVID-19 testing program. Currently, this program will have two components: symptomatic testing for students who show symptoms of COVID-19 at school and test and stay for students who may have been exposed while in school, but are not showing symptoms. Each of these is a quick, non-invasive nasal swab that is collected under the supervision of a school nurse or trained health provider. Unlike COVID-19 tests in the past, these are not uncomfortable and easy for students to do themselves.

To learn more about our COVID-19 testing program or if you have additional questions, please visit https://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/testing/

It is our hope that these measures will work together to keep our schools safe and your children in school. Thanks again for your support during this challenging time. As always, please reach out to your school nurse with any specific questions or concerns.

Best,

Kristin Tierney, RN, FNP-C

Lead Nurse for Amesbury Public Schools

Kristin Tierney, RN Amesbury Innovation High School (978) 388- 8037

kristin.tierney@amesburyma.org

Elisabeth Shorter, RN Amesbury High School (978) 388- 4800

elisabeth.shorter@amesburyma.org

Nicole Brown, RN Amesbury Middle School (978) 388- 0515

nicole.brown@amesburyma.org

Carol Greene, RN Cashman Elementary School (978) 388-4407

carol.greene@amesburyma.org

Nicole Quadros, RN Amesbury Elementary School (978) 388- 3659

nicole.quadros@amesburyma.org

A close contact is someone who has been within 6 feet of a COVID-19 positive individual while indoors for at least 15 minutes during a 24-hour period and did not meet any of the exemption criteria.

Testing and Quarantine Exemptions Cheat Sheet

Fully vaccinated close contacts without symptoms: These individuals are exempt from testing and quarantine protocols. They should self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days from the exposure date.

Classroom close contacts: These individuals are exempt from testing and quarantine if they are masked and spaced at least 3 feet apart.

Bus close contacts: Individuals on buses must be masked according to government requirements. As such, individuals who are masked on buses when windows are open are exempt from testing and quarantine response protocols.

Close contacts who have had COVID-19 within the past 90 days: These individuals are exempt from testing and quarantine if the exposure occurred within 90 days of the onset of their own Covid-19 diagnosis AND the exposed individual remains without COVID-19 symptoms.

You have 3 options:

1) “Test and Stay” to Remain in School

Duration: 7 days

Test: rapid test daily on school days. Remain in school provided student tests negative and remains asymptomatic

Weekend Testing: Only test on weekends if participating in an extracurricular school activity

Quarantine when outside of school setting

Monitor for Symptoms: through day 14

Signup: If you have not signed up for our school COVID safety check program, sign up

here

2) Quarantine at Home and Test to Return to School

Duration: Quarantine at home for at least 7 days

Test: On day 5 or later (PCR or rapid antigen test)

Return to School: Day 8, provided student stays asymptomatic and test was negative

Monitor Symptoms: through day 14

3)Quarantine at Home, No Testing

Duration: quarantine at home for 10 days

Return to School: on day 11 provided student stays asymptomatic

Monitor Symptoms: through day 14

Students who have had an exposure that is NOT in the classroom (on the weekend, at home, non school based sports etc):

Option 1: 7 DAYS of strict quarantine with release on day 8 IF:

-A test (either PCR or BiNax Now antigen) taken on Day 5 or later is negative; AND

-The individual has not experienced any symptoms up to that point; AND

-The individual conducts active monitoring through Day 14.

Option 2: 10 DAYS of strict quarantine release on Day 11 IF:

-The individual has not experienced any symptoms up to that point; AND

-The individual conducts active monitoring through Day 14.

-No test is necessary under this option.

If an individual develops any symptoms, they must adhere to the full 14 day quarantine even if they have tested negative

If there is a confirmed COVID case at home:

-without Covid testing or vaccine: May return to school on day 11 after a 10 day quarantine at home

-if fully vaccinated: If you are fully vaccinated and have no symptoms, no quarantine is necessary

-with Covid testing: may obtain PCR or rapid antigen test on day 5 or later. If negative, continue to quarantine through day 7 and may return to school on day 8.

If there is a confirmed COVID case in my class and I am a close contact: May participate in a daily test and stay for 7 days as long as there are no symptoms. If vaccinated, there is no restriction. If you choose not to participate in the test and stay, you must follow the exposure protocol in the first paragraph.

If I am COVID positive: You must quarantine for ten days and return to school on day 11 (the day of positive test or day of symptom onset is considered day ZERO. The ten days of quarantine start the following day, which is considered day 1).

If I am sick with the symptoms listed below: Do not come to school (even with a vaccine). Get a PCR Covid test OR see a doctor and bring in a note with an alternative diagnosis for your symptoms (like strep throat or the flu). Also, you must be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.

Symptoms that require a PCR Covid test include:

• Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• New loss of taste or smell

• Muscle aches or body aches

• Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)

• Sore throat, when in combination with other symptoms

• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea when in combination with other symptoms

• Headache when in combination with other symptoms

• Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms

• Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in combination with other symptoms

*Student must have a documented history of allergies by a medical provider when differentiating between allergy and Covid-19 symptoms.

Walgreens - Haverhill Road - Amesbury

15 Haverhill Road, Amesbury, MA 01913

By appointment only

CVS - Lafayette Road - Salisbury Covid-19 Testing Site

2 Lafayette Road, Salisbury, MA 01952

By appointment only

Convenient MD - Newburyport

35 Storey Ave, Unit 1, Newburyport, MA 01950

978-225-6607

8:00am-8:00pm Mon-Sun

Walgreens - Main Street - Haverhill

310 Main St, Haverhill, MA 01830

By appointment only

MedExpress Haverhill Urgent Care

296 Main Street, Haverhill, MA 01830

978-372-1382

8:00am-8:00pm Mon-Sun

Walgreens - S Main Street - Haverhill

68 South Main St, Haverhill, MA 01835

By appointment only

CVS - Haverhill - Lafayette Square - Covid-19 Testing Site

150 Lafayette Square, Haverhill, MA 01832

By appointment only

Walgreens - River Street - Haverhill

800 River St, Haverhill, MA 01832

By Appointment Only

CVS - Central Street - Ipswich Covid-19 Testing Site

114 Central Street, Ipswich, MA 01938

By appointment only

We appreciate your patience with the roll out of our COVID-19 testing. While we continue to work with the state, please feel free to sign the mandatory consent to take advantage of in school testing.

https://www.cic-health.com/consent/ma

For additional information, please reference https://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/testing/

Please continue to stay tuned on COVID updates as we continue the school year and begin testing to keep our students safe. As always please wear a mask, wash your hands and stay home if you are sick!