Loveland, Ohio – As students return to classes, below is the current COVID-19 Health Guidelines in effect for the Loveland City School District:
COVID Health Guidelines Update Summary
(effective 1/28/22, updated 5/9/22, 8/1/22)
Background: The quick spread of the omicron variants and their rapid clinical course have made universal contact tracing, case investigation and exposure notification impractical when combined with newly reduced timelines for quarantine and isolation (ODH). This reflects changes at the state level dated 1/26/22.
- Positive cases
- 5+5 (5 days of isolation, 5 days of masking) plan as outlined by HCPH (Hamilton County Public Health)/ ODH (Ohio Dept of Health). This is calculated from the first day of symptoms or positive test which is considered day 0. If a student is not ready to come back after 5 days, parents would call to tell attendance daily if not returning. They could do the entire isolation period (10 days) if needed. Re-evaluate after that. These are considered non-absence days
- Masking is not optional. If you have been positive, you will need to mask for 5 days after being in isolation for 5 days.
- There are no online learning links available.
- Extracurriculars- able to participate as long as able to mask. Removing mask is not an option
- District nurses (DN) make the follow up phone calls to parents once we are notified of a positive case.
- Close contacts
- Close contact in an out of school setting are now “mask to stay” kids regardless of vaccination status. They need to be asymptomatic. If they have symptoms or develop symptoms, parents should keep them home and connect with their healthcare provider for further guidance and/ or covid testing
- Parents can choose to quarantine their child(ren) as recommended by HCPH (and we support), but these are no longer non-absence days. Parents should tell the attendance person they are covid related.
- If a student has a pending test and they have symptoms, we support keeping their child home until test results. If asymptomatic, they also can be at school masked during that time
- We will no longer be monitoring vaccination status
- These days are excused absences, but will continue to monitor
Related link: Mask to Stay
3 . Testing
- Accepting any testing currently except antibody testing.
- Recommend testing day five per HCPH guidelines for exposures, but not required
4. Vaccines
- We encourage everyone to talk to their health care provider for themselves and their children regarding getting vaccinated for COVID. It is the best way to address COVID going forward. Students over 5 are now eligible for the first booster vaccine
5. Extracurriculars (Test to Play)
- Test to play- HCPH no longers requires (but recommends) a second covid test on day 5
- HCPH states this is completely a parent/ student decision to make the right call. If a student is aware of a being a close contact, and are not up-to-date on their vaccination, HCPH recommends test to play
LCSD will continue to focus on “The Bundle”- handwashing, cleaning, distancing as needed/ able to, and masking when appropriate/ optional choice. Our entire staff is committed to keeping our students safe and healthy. We need your support by you doing the wellness checks daily with your child(ren) and keeping them home if they are sick. Thanks for partnering with us- we can do anything together!!
