COVID-19 Updates

The school is operating under pre-COVID conditions.

• Increased hygiene and sanitation measures in place.
• Size of group gatherings monitored.
• Symptom monitoring
• Masks recommended indoors.
• Contact tracing and quarantine protocols

• Hygiene and sanitation measures are maintained.
• Large group gatherings are canceled. 
• Travel and lunch modifications are made. 
• Social distancing is maintained when possible.
• Masks are required indoors for all faculty, staff, and students.

• Fully online and only essential personnel on campus
• Campus is closed.
• Could potentially apply to a specific grade or division.

• Anyone with an illness that is unlikely to be COVID (single low-risk symptom) resolving in 24-48 hours or non-infectious diagnosis (e.g. migraine, allergies) may return to school when symptoms have improved and they have been afebrile for ≥ 24 hours (usual policy for any illness).
  • This person does not need to see a physician or be tested to be cleared to return to school. If symptoms do not resolve quickly, the individual should be assessed by a physician and considered for testing.
  • If this person is in contact with a known COVID case, then this person should be seen by a physician and tested to determine if he or she can return to school or requires isolation.
• Anyone with a COVID-like illness (one high-risk or two or more low-risk symptoms) should be assessed by a physician and tested for COVID (as well as influenza, RSV, and group A Streptococcus depending on the signs and symptoms).
  • If the test is negative or another pathogen is identified, and the person is not a contact of a COVID case, then he or she can return to school when symptoms have improved and he/she is afebrile for ≥ 24 hours.
  • If the test is positive or no test is done (and no other pathogen identified), this person must follow the quarantine protocol below.

• COVID-19 testing is recommended for all BGA students or employees who have had close contact with (exposure to) a person who is COVID-19 positive. A close contact is defined as any of the following:
  • You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for ≥ 15 minutes over a 24-hour period.
  • You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19.
  • You had direct physical contact with a person who has COVID-19 (touched, hugged, or kissed them).
  • You shared eating or drinking utensils with someone who is sick with COVID-19.
  • Someone with COVID-19 sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you.
  • A student or BGA employee who has had close contact with (exposure to) someone who is COVID-19 positive should stay home and quarantine (as specified below).

• A student who develops symptoms should report to the school nurse or designated medical professional.
• The student will be assessed by the school nurse or designated medical professional and isolated from the rest of campus in a designated isolation area.
• If the student needs emergency medical attention, the school nurse or designated medical professional will call 911.
• If the student does not require emergency attention, the student’s emergency contact will be notified and asked to collect the student from school as soon as possible.
• Once a COVID-19 test is administered, the student should stay home from school until the result is known, and if it is positive, follow the protocol below.

Employee

• An employee who develops symptoms on campus should report this to the school nurse and/or their divisional/administrative assistant, and their supervisor immediately.
• If an employee needs emergency medical attention, the school nurse or designated medical professional will call 911.
• If an employee does not require emergency attention, the faculty member should leave campus immediately.
• Once a COVID-19 test is administered, the employee should stay home from school until the result is known, and if it is positive, follow the protocol below. P

• Any student or staff who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 must isolate at home for a period of 10 days from the onset of their symptoms (or from the date tested if asymptomatic) AND must be fever-free (without the use of fever-reducing medications) AND show improvement in symptoms for at least 24 hours before returning to school.
• In addition, any student or staff exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (i.e., those included in the daily screening) is encouraged to monitor health closely and get tested as necessary.
• Any student or staff getting tested should remain home while awaiting those results. Students or staff who have a member of their household awaiting test results should also remain home until those results are returned and there is no evidence of exposure. (Please see below for how the policy applies to those vaccinated or who have a prior COVID-19 infection.)

Quarantine for Exposure to COVID-19: 

• Once the exposure is no longer occurring, quarantine can end: 
• After Day 10 (returning to regular activities on Day 11) without testing if the contact does not have symptoms. 
• On Day 5 if the contact does not have symptoms and tests negative on a molecular test (i.e., PCR, viral RNA, and nucleic acid test is taken), and if no symptoms have developed during daily monitoring. We cannot accept a rapid test (i.e., antigen test) for this early return, and documentation must be provided in all cases.
• Contacts should continue to self-monitor for symptoms through Day 14 and abide by all of the protocols. 
• Household Contacts
  • A household contact is an individual who shares any living spaces with a case, including bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, kitchen, etc. 
  • A household contact will be considered close contact exposure and follow the above guidelines. 
  • If the contact cannot separate from the case in the home, he or she should get tested 5 days after initial exposure to the case and after the end of the case’s isolation (after Day 10). The contact will also need to continue to wear a mask until the second negative test result is received. 
• Unvaccinated Household Contacts
  • A household contact is an individual who shares any living spaces with a case, including bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, kitchen, etc. Household contacts must be quarantined after exposure to a case. 
  • Quarantine start: Household contacts must quarantine as long as they are exposed to the case, and for a 7-14 day period beyond their last exposure. 
  • If the contact can separate from the case within the home, then they are no longer considered exposed. To separate, the case 1) must never be in the same room as household members 2) cannot share plates, cups, dishes, or phones with household members 3) should have their own bathroom (or conduct daily bathroom cleaning).
  • If the contact cannot separate from the case within the home, the contact must quarantine for the case’s (minimum) 10-day isolation period plus an additional 7-14 days. 
  • Quarantine end: Once exposure is no longer occurring (either the case has completed their 10-day isolation or the case and contact have separated within the home), then quarantine can end:
    • After Day 14, as recommended by TDH and CDC
    • After Day 10, (returning to regular activities on Day 11) without testing if the contact does not have symptoms. 
    • After Day 7 (returning to regular activities on Day 8) if the contact does not have symptoms and if they test negative by a PCR test after Day 5. 

Regardless of quarantine end date, contacts should continue to self-monitor for symptoms and wear a mask through Day 14. 

Quarantine Exceptions 
Fully Vaccinated Close Contacts 

• Fully vaccinated close contacts are not required to quarantine if they are fully vaccinated (more than two weeks following the second dose in a two-dose series, or more than 2 weeks following receipt of one dose in a single-dose vaccine) and have remained asymptomatic since the exposure to COVID-19. Vaccinated close contacts will be required to wear a mask for 14 days or until after an appropriate negative test (see above). 
• Previous cases are not required to quarantine if they meet all the following criteria:
  • Had COVID-19 illness within the previous 3 months and 
  • Have recovered and
  • Remain without COVID-19 symptoms.
• Current Positive Antibody Test 
• All exceptions require appropriate documentation, which can be uploaded to a student's Magnus file if a family so desires. Otherwise, it must be provided to your child's divisional office. 

• BGA will notify via email families whose student has been in the vicinity of an infected person (i.e., in class, advisory, activity, etc.) at the school’s discretion.
  • Please note: this is not necessarily considered exposure per CDC health guidelines.
  • Specific action may or may not be required depending on the nature of the contact.
• Anyone who has been in close contact with/exposed to (within 6 feet for ≥ 15 minutes over a 24-hour period) an infected person will receive an email with specific actions required.
  • Students will be required to quarantine.
  • Refer to the above guidance on student exposure.
• Families will be asked to notify the school of BGA community exposures of which the school may not be aware.
• Families with a household member who tests positive are asked to notify the school, abide by exposure protocol, and contact directly others who may have been affected. Families awaiting test results are asked to keep students home.
• In accordance with privacy practices surrounding health information, BGA will not share specific names of infected students or employees without expressed permission.