Weekend Update 4/30/21
Please see the updated protocols for close contact identifying in the school setting:
The Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, in collaboration with the Department of Public Health and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, released updated guidance on April 20, 2021 for close contacts exposed in the classroom or on the bus. The updated protocol is as follows:
Individuals who were within 3 feet of the COVID positive individual in either the classroom or on the bus for a total of 15 minutes during a 24 hour period, regardless of wearing a mask, must quarantine. It is advised to obtain a test for COVID (either PCR or rapid test) on Day 5 or later after the last exposure.
Individuals who were within 3 to 6 feet of the individual who tested positive for a total of 15 minutes during a 24 hour period in either the classroom or on the bus, while both individuals were wearing masks, do not have to quarantine. This means your child may return to school, as long as they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 or test positive for COVID-19. We encourage you to have your child tested. As always, COVID-19 test results should be reported to the school nurse. We are also following all Department of Health protocols, including collaborating with our local board of health to complete contact tracing.
Individuals who were within 6 feet of the COVID positive person in a school setting outside of the classroom or bus (e.g. sports, extracurricular activities, lunch, etc.) for a cumulative of 15 minutes during a 24 hour period, regardless of wearing a mask, must quarantine. It is advised to obtain a test for COVID (either PCR or rapid test) on Day 5 or later after the last exposure.
Individuals who have been fully vaccinated or who have had a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the last 90-days do not need to quarantine as long as they do not have symptoms.
Please continue to assess your student for symptoms DAILY:
Temperature 100.0℉ or higher, chills or shaking chills
New onset of cough (if chronic allergic/asthmatic cough - a change from baseline)
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Sore throat
Headache (with other symptoms)
Fatigue (with other symptoms)
Body or muscle aches
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Nasal congestion or runny nose (with other symptoms)
New onset of loss of taste or smell
If you or your child have ANY of the symptoms listed above, please get tested right away and quarantine until the test result is received. If anyone tests positive for COVID, the positive individual must self-isolate and all members in the household as well as other close contacts must quarantine.
If anyone in your family has tested positive for COVID or is considered a close contact, make sure to inform the nurse. This applies to remote as well as in person students.
Littleton Community Farm is running a sliding-scale CSA for families who are food insecure or struggling with food insecurity due to COVID. A 20-week share is sold at a deep https://littletoncommunityfarm.org/home/healthyshares/
For more information, use this link: https://littletoncommunityfarm.org/home/healthyshares/
COVID-19 Vaccination:
All individuals ages 16+ are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine! We urge you to get vaccinated!! There are different ways to find a vaccine:
Use https://vaxfinder.mass.gov/ to search for appointments at pharmacies, health care providers, and other community locations
Walk-in COVID vaccine clinic at South Lawrence East Elementary School (sponsored by Lawrence General Hospital) Monday-Friday 9-3pm.
Reminder: Individuals who are fully vaccinated must still wear face masks and socially distance in the school setting to help protect those not vaccinated yet.
For the April 30th updated mask guidance mandate, please visit:
https://www.mass.gov/news/mask-up- https://www.mass.gov/news/mask-up-massachusetts#:~:text=Governor%20Baker%20issued%20an%20Order,times%20in%20indoor%20public%20places