Cases of COVID-19 continue to rise here and around the state. We have seen the impact in our schools, with students and staff absent related to COVID-19. Models show that the increase in cases will continue through February before declining. The large number of cases has caused some delays in tracking of case numbers, however cases are now updated
through January 13 on our dashboard.
https://bit.ly/MSDdashboard2.
About on-campus cases: The dashboard now includes on-campus case information for all schools. Note: cases for Hillside and Parkside will be updated Tuesday. On the dashboard, you’ll find on-campus cases for the most recent period of time (January 5-January 13) as well as cumulative cases. Please note that on-campus cases are defined as cases in which the person was on campus while considered contagious.
Updates to protocols: This week, we updated several of our COVID-19 protocols in accordance with the NH DHHS guidance for schools. The updates deal with what happens when a person tests positive for COVID-19 or what happens when someone you live with tests positive. You can find a quick guide to how these changes look in practice by clicking here. The NH DHHS did NOT recommend changing the protocol for what happens when someone develops symptoms of COVID-19. As such, all students or staff members must stay home for 10 days if they have new or unexplained symptoms of COVID-19. They can return sooner than 10 days only if they do one of the following:
- Option #1: Submit a negative test result for COVID-19. A rapid test is recommended.
- Option #2: Submit a doctor’s note that the symptoms are not COVID-19 related.
Please note: Before returning to school with a negative test result or doctor’s note, the student or staff member must also be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications and have improving symptoms. If refusing to complete either option #1 or #2, the student or staff member must stay home for 10 days before returning to school.
Vaccinations: We hosted a vaccination clinic along with the Manchester Health Department on Friday evening, and demand for appointments was high. If you were unable to get an appointment, the Health Department also offers vaccinations on Monday mornings from 9am-11am and Wednesday afternoons from 2pm-4pm. These are free and no appointment is needed. The Department is located at 1528 Elm street (rear) and is accessible via Manchester Transit Authority free bussing (Green Dash). You can also find information on vaccinations at https://www.vaccines.nh.gov/ or by calling 2-1-1.
