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FUESD updates COVID-19 isolation and quarantine guidance

Kim Harris

Managing Editor

An email sent to Fallbrook Unified Elementary School District employees shows updated health guidance on how the district will handle COVID quarantines.

In the email obtained by sister paper Valley News, protocol for isolation and quarantine should be handled by FUESD staff. The district cites new guidance from the California Department of Public Health and the San Diego County Office of Education.

According to the new guidance, everyone, regardless of vaccination status who experiences COVID-19 symptoms must stay at home for at least five days.

Rules for Isolation

“Isolation can end after Day Five of when symptoms started if symptoms are not present or are resolving and a diagnostic specimen (antigen test preferred) that is collected on Day Five or later tests negative,” FUESD Assistant Superintendent Brian Morris, said in the email.

If an employee’s molecular test (PCR) is negative, they should stay home until symptoms have improved, typically 24 hours without fever and no use of fever-reducing medicine. For those who are unable to test or choose not to test, isolation can end after Day 10 from when symptoms started.

If fever is present, isolation will continue until 24 hours after the fever resolves and if symptoms, other than fever, are not resolving, the employee should continue to isolate until symptoms are resolving or until after Day 10 from when the symptoms started.

Employees in isolation should wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in-indoor settings.

Rules for Quarantine

Unvaccinated, vaccinated and booster-eligible, asymptomatic employees are not required to stay home from work if a negative diagnostic test (antigen test preferred) is obtained within 3-5 days after last exposure to a case, or if the employee wears a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days in total or if they continue to have no symptoms.

The guidance says if the employee is unable to test or chooses not to test, and has no symptoms, quarantine can end after Day 10 but, if symptoms do develop, they should test and stay at home. If the test is positive, employees should isolate as instructed above.

No quarantine is required for asymptomatic employees if they are vaccinated and boosted (if booster-eligible) or if a diagnostic specimen (antigen test preferred) collected on Day Five from onset of symptoms or later, tests negative. Non-quarantining employees should wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days but, if symptoms do develop, they should test and stay at home. If the test is positive, employees should isolate as instructed above. If a COVID-19 test is negative, employees can return to work once symptoms are resolving.

Rules on testing

Testing is available every afternoon at Maie Ellis Elementary in the lower building, those testing should park in the main lot near the cafeteria and walk around to enter the building. 

“Given the current limited availability of COVID testing and the increased demand, the County of San Diego is temporarily allowing (through Jan. 27) home testing kits to be used where antigen/diagnostic tests are recommended,” Morris said. “Employees should write their name and test date on the test card results and send a picture of the card to the school/workplace to request return.”

To provide proof of a negative COVID test, upload results to https://www.fuesd.org/return-to-work, and also provide a copy to the supervisor. Those with questions should email Cheli Gallegos [email protected] in the Human Resources office.

 

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