[Date]
Dear Parent/Guardian:
[Insert School Name] considers the health and well-being of our students and staff a priority. We have been alerted that an individual diagnosed with COVID-19 was in close proximity to your child on [mm/dd]. We are following CDC recommendations to ensure that the person diagnosed with COVID-19 follows instructions for isolation and remains away from others until they can safely return to the school setting. We will also continue to clean and disinfect all areas of the school.
In collaboration with school and public health officials, we have determined that your child is considered a close contact of the person diagnosed with COVID-19; as a result, your child will need to quarantine at home for a full 14 days from the last date of known exposure, unless they are fully vaccinated or tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days and recovered. Please make note of the following important dates:
- Your child was in close contact with a person with COVID-19 on [Insert date of exposure. If exposed on more than one day, list all dates of known exposure.].
- Since your child was identified as having close contact with a person with COVID-19, they will need to quarantine at home for a full 14 days from the last date of known exposure, unless they are fully vaccinated or tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days and recovered. If your child does not develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19, your child may return to school on [Insert date for day 15, using the date of the last exposure as day 0].
- We recommend that your student be tested immediately unless they are fully vaccinated or tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days and recovered. If they test negative, they should be tested again 5-7 days after their exposure and continue to quarantine for the remainder of the 14-day quarantine period. Your child should be tested on or after [insert date for day 5, using the date of the last exposure as day 0].
- If your child has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and you are willing to provide proof of vaccination to the school, please contact [insert name of appropriate school contact] at [insert email and phone number]. Fully vaccinated individuals do not need to quarantine. However, they should get tested 3-5 days after their exposure and wear a mask indoors in public or until they receive a negative test result. They should also monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days, and get tested and isolate immediately if they develop symptoms of COVID-19.
- If your child has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days and you are willing to provide proof of the previous positive viral test to the school, please contact [insert name of appropriate school contact] at [insert email and phone number]. People who have tested positive in the last 90 days, completed 10 days of isolation, and subsequently recovered do not need to get tested or quarantine. They should monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days after the exposure and isolate immediately if they develop symptoms of COVID-19. They should consult with a healthcare provider for testing recommendations if new symptoms develop.
During quarantine, if your child develops symptoms of COVID-19 or tests positive, please ensure they isolate immediately and notify the school right away. If your child has not yet been tested, we recommend they do so right away. When you notify us, we can take additional steps to keep our school community safe. We may need to identify potential close contacts your student has had with others in order to prevent any additional spread of the virus.
We encourage you to visit [insert hyperlink to local public health department or other appropriate links] for additional information for ways to keep your family and our school community safe. In addition, CDC’s website also provides information about COVID-19, including an overview of quarantine as it relates to the K-12 school setting at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12-contact-tracing/about-quarantine.html.
We will be happy to welcome your child back to in-person learning on the date specified above, or if you can provide proof of vaccination or positive test result within the past 90 days. In the meantime, [insert name of teacher or school administrator] will reach out to you with additional information on how your child can continue learning and receiving instruction during this time away from in-person school.
We will continue to provide you with regular updates as needed and will continue to provide prompt notification of any COVID-19 or other health-related concerns. We encourage you to contact us with questions and concerns. Please call us at [NUMBER], email us at [EMAIL], or visit our website [INSERT DETAILS HERE] for updates.
Please be assured that we are committed to facilitating an optimal learning experience and ensuring the safety of our students and staff.
Sincerely,
[NAME, TITLE, and CONTACT INFORMATION]