Dear SFUSD Community,

Welcome back to school. Thank you for being with us and taking care of yourself and others during this difficult time. 

In the past few days the SF Department of Public Health has updated some guidance. Please read below regarding the guidance that pertains to staff. For guidance that pertains to students, please see this information going out to families. 

Most important new information (see below for details): 

• Isolation period of those who test positive for COVID can be 5 days.  If they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), they may end isolation if they can provide a negative test on day 5 or later.
• Staff who are identified as close contacts do not need to quarantine if they are “up to date on their vaccination.” 
• Until further notice, absences for COVID-related reasons should now be recorded as sick leave. The District is in discussion with our labor partners on this issue and we will provide updated information as available. 

COVID-19 isolation changes  

SFDPH, CDC and CDPH have updated their guidance regarding isolation and quarantining. SFUSD will follow the updated guidance.

• People with COVID-19 should isolate for 5 days. If they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), they may end isolation but must still maintain 5 days of wearing a mask when around others. If they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), they may end isolation if they can provide a negative test on day 5 or later. The change is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after. See updated guidance.

New Definition of “Fully Vaccinated” for Staff 

SFDPH has updated its guidance for staff for what it means to be “fully vaccinated.” Staff who are identified as close contacts do not need to quarantine if they are “up to date on their vaccination.” “Up to date on vaccination” means you are either (a) two weeks past completing the full initial course of vaccines—either two doses of Moderna or Pfizer or one dose of a Johnson & Johnson vaccine *AND* (b) one week after receiving a booster of any type once a person is eligible for a booster. Until a person is eligible for a booster, they are considered “up to date on vaccination” two weeks after completing their initial vaccines. Please find the revised language here. 

Close Contacts

Staff who are up to date on their vaccination do not need to quarantine if they are a close contact; however, they should:

• Test on day 5. Staff can take a Color self swab kit home with them and drop them off at any of the school or central office locations. Kits must be dropped off the same day that swab is taken. Results take between 12-24 hours.
• Wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days, especially when indoors.
• Monitor symptoms for 10 days since the last date of close contact. If symptoms develop at any point, test immediately and stay home.

Staff who are NOT up to date on all COVID-19 vaccines and who are a close contact must:

• Stay at home for at least 5 days since your last contact with a person with COVID-19.
• Test on day 5. Staff can take a Color self swab kit home with them and drop them off at any of the school or central office locations. Results take between 12-24 hours.
• May only leave their house after day 5 if symptoms are not present and you have a negative test on day 5 or after.
• If you leave your home after day 5, wear a well-fitting mask around others indoors or outdoors, until day 10.
• If you are unable to get tested or choose not to get a test and you do not develop symptoms, you can end quarantine after day 10.
• Monitor symptoms for 10 days since the last date of close contact. If symptoms develop at any point, test immediately and stay home.

Masks

The District will continue distributing KN95 masks to some school sites this week and into the next week to reach all schools. We want to emphasize that KN95s are just one way of effective masking. A well-fitted mask that can be comfortably worn is most important. See more tips on getting the most out of masking. 

We will continue to share relevant updates with you as they become available. Below we have included some tips from SFDPH related to getting through this surge as well as possible. 

Thank you, 

Superintendent Vincent Matthews 

Tips from SFDPH - How to stay safe:

• Have everyone ages 5+ get their COVID-19 vaccine and booster if eligible.
• Anyone who develops symptoms of COVID-19 should isolate themselves and get tested as soon as possible.
• Get tested before travel, upon return, and again 3-5 days later.
• Take advantage of quick and easy home test kits available in pharmacies and stores.
• Outside gatherings are safer than indoor gatherings. Limit the number and size of indoor gatherings.
• Take all precautions, including vaccinations, boosters, and testing when gathering with others without masks – especially with elderly or immunocompromised individuals, and anyone who is unvaccinated or not yet boosted.
• Wear a well-fitted mask indoors and in crowded settings. To best protect yourself, wear an N95 or double mask with a cloth mask over a surgical mask to improve the seal. If possible, avoid wearing only a cloth mask during this surge.
• Unvaccinated adults should avoid travel and gatherings outside their household. 
• Wash hands or use hand sanitizer often.
• Layer your defenses, and reduce your household’s risk exposure during periods of high transmission, like the current omicron surge.

What to do if you test positive for COVID: 

Individuals who test positive, including if they are asymptomatic, should assume they are infected with COVID-19 and take measures to get care and isolate away from others. Additionally, they should notify their healthcare provider about their positive test result and stay in contact with them during their illness. Individuals who do not have a provider or need assistance with isolation can connect with the SFDPH COVID Resource Center at (628) 217-6101.

More information about what to do if you test positive can be found here.

Other COVID-19 resources:

• Isolation and quarantine guidelines can be found here: https://www.sfdph.org/dph/COVID-19/Isolation-and-Quarantine.asp
• For a list of testing sites in San Francisco, go to: sf.gov/gettested
• For a list of vaccination and booster sites in San Francisco, go to: sf.gov/getvaccinated