Nurse Updates

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Posted 3/27/22:
WPS COVID-19 Updates 3/27/22 Dear WPS Parents/Guardians,

COVID-19 Update:
Covid-19 is still circulating in our community. As you may have been reading and hearing in the news, the new Omicron subvariant BA.2 is more transmissible than previous variants. In fact, MA DPH estimates that 50% of all the cases that we are currently seeing in our state are the Omicron subvariant BA.2.

We are in a better place than this time last year due to the high vaccination rate of our WPSstudent and staff population. Vaccination remains our best defense against COVID as it helps reduce spread and protects against severe illness. If your student is not up-to-date (two doses plus one booster) with the COVID-19 vaccine, please speak with your student’s health care provider.

COVID-19 Vaccinations:
DESE and DPH continue to strongly recommend that all eligible individuals receive the COVID-19 vaccine and booster. Information on locations to receive the vaccine

The Winchester Health Department is holding a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic on April 11th for students ages 5 and older. More information on registering for this vaccine clinic is coming soon.

WPS Goal:
Our collective district goal is to limit the spread of the virus in our school community and protect our students, teachers and staff. Please review all of our mitigation strategies below:

• Stay Home When Sick:

• This past week school health offices saw symptomatic students coming in with cold or allergy-like symptoms. Please do not assume your student has a common cold or seasonal allergies. You must keep your student home if they are sick. We strongly encourage you to test your symptomatic student prior to coming to school. We recommend at least one negative self antigen test (two negative self antigen tests 24-48 hours apart and/or a negative PCR test is hours apart and/or a negative PCR test is best practice) and significant improvement in symptoms before returning to school.

1. 
   DESE COVID-19 Symptom List:

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

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

   • Sore throat, when in combination with other symptoms

   • Headache when in combination with other symptoms

   • Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms

   • 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

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

2. WPS Masking Guidelines:

   • As always, any individual who wishes to continue wearing a mask, including those who face higher risk from COVID-19 will be supported in their choice.

   • DESE and DPH strongly recommend unvaccinated individuals continue to wear masks in school settings.

   • Masks are required at all times in our school health offices. We encourage parents/guardians to ensure that your student has a mask with them in case they need to visit the health office.

   • Individuals returning to school on Days 6-10 after COVID-19 isolation or quarantine, are required to wear a mask while indoors at school until Day 11. If they do NOT wish to remain masked for Days 6-10, they will not be able to return to school until Day 11.

   WPS Testing Opportunities:

   • It is not too late to sign up to receive Home Self-antigen Test Kits. Your student will receive one test kit every other week. Sign Up Here.

   • Surveillance testing for asymptomatic individuals through our COVID-19 School Weekly Safety Checks remains an important mitigation strategy to decrease the spread of the virus in our schools. If your student is not signed up to participate in our School Weekly Safety checks, please consider signing a consent form for testing today. Consent Form Here

WPS Reporting:

• How to report your student’s positive test (self antigen or PCR) result: Reporting Link

• How to report when your unvaccinated student is a close contacts (outside of school) to a positive COVID-19 individual: Reporting Link