Covid=Well Childcare TESTING

October 4th, 2021

by Katrina Brooke

Well child care ONLY.   Covid/Cold Symptoms Test to return or quarantine

What if your child just has a runny nose? 

• They need to stay home until symptoms are gone for 24 hrs.
• If the runny nose continues and they get no other symptoms (Coughing/Sneezing/Fever, Cold symptoms) they can return to school 24 hrs. after the runny nose is gone. (No test for just a runny nose).
• If they end up with a second symptom, such as a cough or fever, they need to get a test 3-5 days after symptoms begin, once they have just a runny nose, no other symptoms, and they have a negative covid test they can return to school.
• If you prefer not to test your child, you can quarantine for 10 days from when symptoms begin. Return when symptom free for 24 hrs.
• Please send a copy of the test to the teacher/director or let them know if you have quarantined for 10 days.
• A test before 3 days may not show if the runny nose is covid or not so it is a waste of a test.
• If your child has a continual runny nose, I would like you to have them see your pediatrician for advice.  Maybe allergy testing, or you just need to wait out a cold.  You can return with a doctor’s note stating they are not contagious and a negative covid test.
• Children have 6 to 8 colds a year, so I know this makes it hard on families.
• We want only well children to attend that are not contagious to other students.  If you know it is a cold, they can be contagious to other students and affect others in the class.

The cycle time between the onset of relevant symptoms or notification as a close contact and should balance the need to assess persons with symptoms, with waiting long enough after exposure to be able to detect the virus. For people with symptoms, testing between day 3-5 of symptoms is recommended. For people who are contacts of someone with COVID-19 infection, and do not have any symptoms, testing 5-7 days after contact is recommended.   https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/TestingforCOVID19/StatewideTestingStrategy

We are working hard to keep families healthy and balance how long a family is out due to a mild runny nose.  Even before covid a yellow/green runny nose the children needed to stay home. Keep Me Home chart posted in classrooms and part of parent registration packet.  The average incubation period for COVID-19 is 5-6 days (although it can be up to 14 days), and researchers estimate that people become infectious 2-3 days before they develop symptoms.

Out for the day:

We will continue to ask parents to arrive by 9:30, and if later then 10 AM  call and let us know they are going to be in, taking the day off or if their child is ill and will be out; Please let us know what their symptoms are if they are ill.  If you have not called the school by 10:30 AM a Teacher or the Director will contact you. You can leave a voice mail.  Please do not use e-mail for this communication.

Testing: 

We are asking for a rapid/nasal swab/antigen test if there is no known contact.  If they have a known contact, then we need a PCR test.

Drive up sites for rapid/antigen test usually have openings the same day until 3:30 and results are back within the hour.

There is a drive through

Bellevue Collage, 2645 145th Ave SE, Bellevue, 98007   Mon – Sat, 9:00am – 5:00pm drive through Rapid and PCR back 1-2 days link:  https://bsd405.org/services/health/covid-19-health-and-safety/covid-19-testing/

Kaiser clinic by Home Depot in Bothell

Rapid Test Only – No PCR TESTS right now GS labs in Lynnwood by the Convention Center you can make appointment online and drive up.

King County Free Testing Sites:

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King county Testing:

https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/testing/faq.aspx

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