The Hemet Unified School District (HUSD) has released a notice informing parents that the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has issued revised COVID guidance that “strongly recommends” school districts follow a “Group-Tracing Approach” to students exposed to COVID in grades kindergarten through 12th (K-12).
It then informs:
“• HUSD will notify all students who spent more than 15 minutes with a 24-hour
timeframe in shared airspace (e.g., classroom) with a person who is COVID-positive.
“• Notifications will be provided to all individuals exposed, including those
who are vaccinated or those that are within their 90-day post-positive
window.
“• Notification will occur electronically through email with detailed
instructions and next steps to keep your child(ren) well.
“• CDPH recommends that exposed students, regardless of vaccination
status, get at least one diagnostic test [three to five] days after known exposure.
“• Exposed students may continue to take part in all aspects of K-12
schooling, including sports and extracurricular activities, unless they develop
symptoms or test positive for COVID-19.”
The district further explains:
“• If your child is exposed, he/she may remain in school including sports and
extracurricular activities, regardless of vaccination status unless your child
develops symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19.
“• Your child may test for COVID-19 within [three to five] days after the date of last exposure. If you desire your child to participate in a test after exposure, HUSD will offer this testing at your child’s school site.
“• If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19 or tests positive for COVID-19, please ensure he/she isolates at home immediately and notify your child’s school right away. When you notify HUSD, we can take additional steps to keep our school community safe.
“• It is strongly recommended that your child continue to wear a mask indoors in the school and community for 10 days following the exposure.”
The district further advised that Head Start programs have different federal requirement, referring parents to a communication from Hemet Preschool Principal Alice Chung, and added that HUSD would continue to provide parents with regular updates as needed, assuring parents that it was committed to facilitating an optimal learning experience ensuring the safety of HUSD’s students, staff and community.
The above HUSD notice was provided in Spanish as well as in English.
