When Someone Gets Sick

It takes all of us to maintain safe and healthy schools. This means all school staff and students must:

• Self-screen for COVID-19 before coming to school every day
• Stay home when sick
• Wear face masks at all times, except when eating or drinking
• Wash or sanitize hands frequently

Contact your school immediately, even on a non-school day if: 

Helpful Definitions

Contagious

When the person who is infected can give the virus to others.

A person with COVID-19 is considered contagious 2 days before their symptoms start until at least 10 days later, fever is gone 24 hours, and symptoms have improved.

If a person with COVID-19 has no symptoms, they are considered contagious 2 days before their positive test until 10 days after the positive test.

If a person who was initially asymptomatic develops symptoms after testing positive, the contagious period should be considered as two days before the test date and is extended to ten days after the onset of symptoms.
 

Close contact

Anyone who stayed within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes over the course of a day. People should be considered close contacts when the program is reasonably sure that they spent at least 15 minutes within 6 feet of the infected person during the course of 24 hours. People are not considered close contacts simply because they were in the same group or cohort.

 

Buses will be considered an "outdoor" environment when identifying close contacts if all COVID-19 safety protocols, including masking and open windows, are in place.

Quarantine

Quarantine is used to keep people who have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others while they may be contagious. After someone has been exposed to COVID-19, they must stay home and away from other people for a recommended period after their last exposure, until they meet the criteria to return from quarantine. Close contacts who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or had COVID-19 within the previous 3 months, do not have to quarantine after close contact with someone with COVID-19, as long as they are asymptomatic.
 

Isolation

Isolation is used to keep people who are infected away from others while they are contagious. This is usually 10 days after COVID-19 symptoms appeared or after they test positive.

SFUSD continues to work with the SF Department of Public Health to implement health and safety protocols to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in schools. 

For those identified as Close Contacts: SFUSD will continue to implement the standard quarantine of 10 days, which can be shortened with a negative COVID-19 test on day 5 or later. If the close contact has a negative test on day 5, they can return on day 8 of quarantine. Rapid antigen and PCR tests conducted in a clinic or at a testing site are acceptable, home tests are not.

For those with Symptoms: Individuals with COVID-like symptoms may return to school with proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Rapid antigen and PCR tests conducted in a clinic or at a testing site are preferred. A negative home test is acceptable as long as your student has not been identified as a close contact in the last 14 days, and symptoms do not include loss of taste or smell.

Reference: SF Department of Public Health Guidance for Schools, Childcare, and Programs for Children and Youth.

SFUSD will monitor for an increase in confirmed cases of COVID-19. If an increase is detected, the district will alert the SF Department of Public Health to consult on whether further action beyond the regular quarantine protocols must be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Reference: San Francisco Department of Public Health Roles and Responsibilities on COVID-19 Cases, Clusters, and Outbreaks in Schools (Updated: Oct 4, 2021)

View the COVID-19 testing dashboard for testing data, including how many tests have been completed, the number of positive tests, and the rate of positive tests.