Daily Health Screening

Before Coming to School: Daily Health Screening

Staying home when sick is an important way that we protect each other from the spread of COVID-19.

Answer these questions for yourself or your child everyday before coming to school:

Has your child had any symptoms listed below that are new or different from usual?

  • Fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher) or chills
  • Cough
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Loss of taste or smell that started in the last 10 days (Children may say that food “tastes bad” or “tastes funny”)
  • Feeling out of breath or having a hard time breathing
  • Diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle aches or body aches

If your child has any of the symptoms above, we strongly recommend:

  • Keeping your child at home and masking for 5 days
  • Testing for COVID-19
    • If your child tested positive before within the previous 90 days, we recommend using an antigen test
    • If your child tests negative with an antigen test, particularly during the first 1-2 days of symptoms, consider continuing self-isolation and retesting with an antigen or PCR test in 1–2 days. Consider repeat testing every 1–2 days for several days until they test positive or symptoms improve.

Has your child had “close contact” in the past 10-14 days with anyone who has COVID-19 during their contagious period? 

  • Recommended Actions:
    • Test within 3-5 days after last exposure
    • Per CDPH masking guidance, close contacts should wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, espeically in indoor settings and when near those at high risk of severe COVID-10 disease 
    • Strongly encouraged to get vaccinated or boosted
  • Regardless of vaccination status, students may remain in school, although we strongly recommend that they isolate if they develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19.

Has your child tested positive for COVID-19? 

  • If your child tests positive for COVID-19, we strongly recommend that they isolate and wear a mask for 5 days. 
    • If they are at high risk of getting very sick, they may be eligible for treatment. Contact your healthcare provider to start treatment within the first few days of symptoms.
  • The student can return to school if:
    • Symptoms are not severe, AND
    • At least 24 hours have passed with no fever, without taking fever-reducing medication like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin)
  • If fever is present, isolation should be continued until 24 hours after fever resolves.
  • If symptoms do not improve or are severe, if they are at high risk of serious disease, or if they have questions concerning care, you should contact your healthcare provider for available treatments.
  • Per CDPH masking guidance, infected persons should wear a well-fiitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings.
  • After ending isolation, if symptoms recur or worsen, get tested again. If positive, restart isolation at Day 0.

Get more information on what to do for COVID-19 symptoms, exposures, and positive tests

This page was last updated on March 13, 2023