Health Office
Screening Guidelines For COVID-19
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has provided schools with guidance in assessing students with symptoms of COVID-19. Based on the Department of Education’s School Symptom Screening Tool, please take time each morning to screen your child(ren) for signs of COVID-19 before sending them to school. If your child does not feel well and/or has a fever of 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, DO NOT send them to school. In addition, please use the Department of Education’s Checklist.
SECTION 1: Symptoms
Please keep your child home if they have one or more symptoms in Group A OR have two or more symptoms in Group B OR are taking fever reducing medication such as Tylenol, Motrin, or Advil.
| Group A: 1 or more symptoms | Group B: 2 or more symptoms |
| Cough Shortness of breath Difficulty breathing New olfactory disorder (disruption in smell) New taste disorder (disruption in taste) |
Fever (measured or subjective) Chills Rigors (shaking, sweating, feeling cold) Myalgia (muscle pain/aches) Headache Sore throat Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea Fatigue Congestion or Runny Nose |
SECTION 2: Close Contact/Potential Exposure
The CDC provides the following information containing close contact/potential exposure. If YES to any of the questions below, keep your child home and contact the child’s school nurse.
- Had close contact (within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes) with a person with confirmed COVID-19
- Traveled to or lived in an area where local, tribal, territorial, or state health department is reporting large numbers of COVID-19 cases as described in the Community Mitigation Framework
- Live in areas of high community transmission (as described in the Community Mitigation Framework) while the school remains open
For more information see the Operational Guidance for Schools from the CDC.
PLEASE NOTE: Make sure your child’s information at school is current including emergency contacts and individuals authorized to pick up your child(ren) from school. Any ill students will be isolated in the health office and need to be picked up immediately.
Pennsylvania School Immunization Requirements
Children in ALL GRADES (K-12) need the following vaccines:
4 doses of tetanus
4 doses of diphtheria
4 doses of polio
2 doses of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
3 doses of hepatitis B
2 doses of varicella (Chickenpox) vaccine or must have had Chickenpox disease
Children ENTERING 7th GRADE need the following additional vaccines:
1 dose meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV)
1 dose Tdap vaccine
Children ENTERING 12th GRADE need the following additional vaccine:
2nd dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV)
The only exemptions to the school laws for immunizations are:
Medical reasons- written statement from Medical Provider
Religious beliefs- objects in writing based on religious beliefs
Philosophical/Strong Moral Ethical Conviction- objects in writing based on personal beliefs.
If your child is exempt from immunizations, he or she may be removed from school during an outbreak.
If you have any questions, please contact the nurse at your school or the Pennsylvania Department of Health (570-278-3889).