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COVID-19 Safety Information 2024-2025 School Year

This is an image of elementary school student arms with band aids and the words: Let's Get Vaccinated, BUSD!

Berkeley Unified School District
COVID-19 Safety Plan
2024-2025 School Year

 Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan
Updated July 30, 2024

 

El Plan de Seguridad COVID 2024-2025 está disponible en español aquí.

 

Free COVID Tests

U.S. households will be eligible to order 4 free at-home, rapid COVID-19 tests from the federal government at COVIDTests.gov beginning the end of September, 2024. According to information provided by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response(ASPR), tests will detect current COVID-19 variants and can be used through the end of the year.

Guidance

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has updated the “Public Health Guidance for TK–12 Schools and Child Care Settings to Support Safe In-Person Services and Mitigate the Spread of Communicable Diseases” for the 2024-25 School Year.  The guidance continues to provide a general prevention strategy framework to reduce the spread of communicable disease and facilitate partnerships and coordination between local public health and education partners.

When To Report Positive COVID-19 Cases to BUSD

Student and staff COVID cases should only be reported to BUSD if the case was infectious while on campus or at a BUSD facility. 

  • NO SYMPTOMS = NO INFECTIOUS PERIOD:  Do not report a case to BUSD if the individual did not experience symptoms. The case does not need to isolate but should take precautions including masking for five days (students) or 10 days (staff) and following good hygiene practices. 
  • SYMPTOMS = POSSIBLY INFECTIOUS AT BUSD: For the purpose of isolation and exclusion of confirmed cases, the COVID-19 Infectious Period  for cases with symptoms is defined as from the day of symptom onset until 24 hours have passed with no fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications, AND symptoms are mild and improving. If this infectious period occurred while the case was at a BUSD facility or school, it should be reported. 

Families can report student COVID cases using this form in either English or in Spanish.

After reporting a case, families should follow their school’s typical attendance procedures.

Staff can report a COVID case using this form.  After reporting a case, and if they will be absent from work, they should follow standard district absence protocols.

AFTER TESTING POSITIVE for COVID-19

After Testing Positive AND When COVID-19 Symptoms are Present: Stay home until:

  • You have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever reducing medication AND
  • Other COVID-19 symptoms​ are mild and improving

For a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection, CDPH recommends following the recommendations provided in CDC guidance: Preventing Spread of Respiratory Viruses When You’re Sick. This guidance recommends that when a case goes back to their normal activities, they take the added precautions including masking over the next 5 days and practicing good hygiene. Note that Cal/OSHA guidance requires staff cases to mask for ten days from the start of symptoms, or if no symptoms, from the date they tested positive. 

CDPH recommends that, if you have symptoms and particularly if you are at risk for severe illness, you speak with a healthcare provider as soon as you test positive. Please also see this COVID-19 treatment information from CDPH.

 

The following CDC graphics help explain the timeline for returning to BUSD. However, Cal/OSHA requires staff to mask for 10 days from the start of symptoms, or if no symptoms, from the date they tested positive rather than the 5-day period in these graphics, which applies to students. 

In this scenario, the case has a fever and other COVID symptoms.

This is a graphic for a timeline that explains when someone can return to their normal activities after testing positive for COVID and experiencing a fever and other symptoms. On the left side we see the words "Having symptoms and fever" and under that the words "Duration varies." Under that it states: Stay home and away from others. , Next, and just to the right, we see "Fever Ends" which still falls under the "stay home and away from others section." Then, to the right of that, we see "Symptoms getting better" and "24 hours." This is shown to be part of the "stay home period" until, at the end of the 24 hours, it is now indicated to be a time when you can "Go about normal activities, taking added precautions." This section has text that states "Five Days."

In this scenario, the case has a fever but no other symptoms.

This is a graphic for a timeline that explains when someone can return to their normal activities after testing positive for COVID and having a fever. On the left, under the word "Fever" we see the words "Duration varies." Under that it states: Stay home and away from others. , Next, and just to the right, we see "Fever ends" and "24 hours." This is shown to be part of the "stay home period" until, at the end of the 24 hours, it is now indicated to be a time when you can "Go about normal activities, taking added precautions." with the term "5 days" just above that description.

In this scenario, the case has symptoms that get better, but then after returning to normal activities with precautions, the case develops a fever and must again stay home until 24 hours have passed with no fever and no fever-reducing medication. At this point, the case can go about normal activities with added precautions.

This is a graphic for a timeline that explains when someone can return to their normal activities after testing positive for COVID, having their symptoms get better, and then developing a fever. On the left, under the word "Symptoms" we see the words "Duration varies." Under that it states: Stay home and away from others. , Next, and just to the right, we see "Symptoms getting better" and "24 hours." This is shown to be part of the "stay home period" until, at the end of the 24 hours, it is now indicated to be a time when you can "Go about normal activities, taking added precautions." Next, we see "Fever Starts" for a time indicated to be "Duration varies." Under that are instructions to "stay home and away from others." Next we see "fever ends" and then the 24 hour waiting period which is still part of the "stay home and away from others period" At the end of the 24 hours we see "5 day" and are instructed to "go about normal activities, taking added precautions."

Covid Questions can be directed to covidcase@berkeley.net

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR BUSD STAFF

The 2024 – 2025 BUSD COVID-19 Protection Program (CPP) can be read at this link.

 

 

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Notification of Non-Discrimination Policy:

The Berkeley Unified School District is committed to providing equal opportunity for all individuals in district programs and activities. Accordingly, BUSD programs and activities shall be free from discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying based on actual or perceived ancestry, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression; nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. The Board shall promote programs which ensure that discriminatory practices are eliminated in all district activities. (Board Policy 0410, Board Policy 1311, Board Policy 4030, Board Policy 5145.3, Board Policy 5145.7)

The Board also prohibits retaliation against any district employee or job applicant who complains, testifies or in any way participates in the district's complaint procedures instituted pursuant to this policy. (Board Policy 4030)

Complaint forms are available at school sites and on the district webpage at www.berkeleyschools.net/complaints.

For inquiries or concerns regarding BUSD nondiscrimination policy 5145.3 or the filing of discrimination complaints please contact:
Jasmina Viteskic, Title IX Coordinator/Compliance Officer
2020 Bonar Street Room 116, Berkeley, CA 94702
Phone: 510.486.9338     Email: nondiscrimination@berkeley.net
More information is available at www.berkeleyschools.net/non-discrimination/.
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