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Guidelines & Protocol for Health Office Staff

Guidelines for Schools

These are Guidelines for the SMUSD Health Office to follow.  SMUSD Health Clerks are trained on following this protocol. School staff are also aware of the steps the District are taking in the Health Office to address novel coronavirus:

 

STEP 1:  Place visible posters requesting students with a fever and recent international travel to immediately notify the health office staff. Printable posters are available on the LAC Public Health website.

    • For any general illness, emphasize handwashing and staying home if sick. Students should stay home until fever-free for 24 hours.

 

STEP 2:  Does the student have:

    1. Fever (T >100.4 F or >38C)

    2. Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath), AND

    3. Travel to Wuhan City, China

IF NO and student does not meet all three (3) criteria then STOP here and follow general health office guidelines for when to send a student home based upon symptoms.

 

IF YES and student meets all three (3) criteria, then immediately isolate the student:

    • Place surgical mask on student

    • Isolate student in another room with door closed

 

STEP 3:  Health office staff attending to the student should use standard precautions – mask, gloves, and handwashing.

 

STEP 4:

    1. Notify School Nurse Bob Judge, RN (626) 299-7000 x1385 or (626) 488-5904

    2. School nurse or designee to contact the parent to verify travel to Wuhan City region and inform parent public health department will be contacted immediately

    3. School nurse to immediately call LAC Public Health – Acute Communicable Disease Control for next steps:

    • ACDC (888) 397-3993 or (213) 240-7941 or for after hours (213) 974-1234

    • Public Health will advise how to transport student to the hospital

    • Parent may be advised to pick up student and transport to the hospital

 

Reminders:

  • Student health information, including infectious disease, is confidential and not to be shared with other students or staff as per FERPA (not HIPAA)

  • Confidential health information, including infectious disease, can be shared with Public Health as per Health and Safety Code laws.

  • Do not send out disease notification letters to students, parents, or staff unless directed by LAC Public Health.

  • Flu is still circulating and this season has seen a lot of flu more prevalent among children, so schools may be experiencing high levels of illness. It’s not too late to be immunized to protect yourself and your family from flu. Resources for flu information are available at http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/HealthEdFlu.htm This includes posters for schools to encourage keeping sick children home.