Copper Basin schools have an updated algorithm from the Tennessee Department of Health for dealing with individuals in the school system who are suspected of having come in contact with the COVID-19 virus.
The department has identified high-risk symptoms of the virus, which include a new cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell and fever above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
Low-risk symptoms include congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, headache and myalgia.
An individual with no exposure but with at least one low-risk symptom may return to school after 24 hours if the individual’s symptoms are improving Exposure is defined as being within 6 feet of a case of COVID-19 for 15 or more minutes.
An individual with two low-risk symptoms or one high-risk symptom must be tested or evaluated by a healthcare provider and must isolate if they are symptomatic and waiting on test results.
In this case, if a test comes back negative, individuals may return to school after being fever free and having improvement of symptoms after 24 hours.
An individual who receives an alternative diagnosis, in this case, may return to school after 24 hours of being fever free and after showing improvement of symptoms with a medical providers note reflecting an “acceptable diagnosis.”An acceptable diagnosis would include a fever due to a urinary tract infection, strep throat, upper respiratory tract infection, seasonal allergies and more.
One who does not receive any testing, medical diagnosis or evaluation must isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms and be fever free for at least 24 hours and show improvement of symptoms before returning to school. In the case that an individual’s test comes back positive, they must notify the public health department, identify close contacts, and may return to school after at least 10 days. They must have been fever free and showing an improvement of symptoms for 24 or more hours.
Someone who is exposed to the virus but shows no symptoms should notify the public health department and may return to school after 14 days from the last contact.If symptoms develop, a test should be taken, and the individual should isolate. The health department can be reached at 423-496-3275.