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Key Practices
reinforced or added
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As risk increases beyond Baseline, Key Practices are reinforced or added.
Key Practices may differ based on the specific disease risk (measles versus Norovirus, etc.).
Key Practices specific to COVID-19 are listed in this column. |
When specific disease risk is known, but local cases are low, Baseline measures remain in place, and Prevention is added. Schools increase planning and add mitigation practices specific to the disease. |
When community cases are high and/or a school outbreak is occurring, Baseline and Prevention measures remain in place. Schools enact multiple layers of mitigation practices specific to the disease. |
When community cases are declining and/or school outbreak is contained, Baseline and Prevention measures remain in place. Schools return to Response if risk increases, or to Baseline if risk declines fully.
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COVID-19 Management Plan Template Sections
(Tables 5-7) |
Prevention
(Table 5) |
Response- High Transmission
(Table 6) |
Recovery-Gradual Return to Baseline
(Table 7) |
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Vaccination
OAR 333-019-1030
Vaccination remains the best protection against serious illness from COVID-19 and reduces spread of the disease. Students and staff should get vaccinated and boosted when they become eligible.
Vaccines for COVID-19 | CDC
Get Vaccinated Oregon
Accessibility Kit Resource
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A District works in partnerships with healthcare providers to promote vaccines, access to vaccinations, and the location of vaccine clinics throughout the district.
Utilize the following resources:
ODE COVID-19 Pediatric Vaccination Toolkit
NASN COVID-19 Vaccination Administration in Schools
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During periods of high transmission, the district collaborates with the LPHA and OHA in the establishment of vaccine clinics at any school sites requested by the health authority or community partners. |
During periods of medium transmission districts collaborate with the LPHA and OHA in the establishment of vaccine clinics at any school sites requested by the health authority or community partners.
*This collaboration decreases as case counts lower and increases as case counts rise. |
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Face Coverings
Masks can help protect you and others from COVID-19. Learn more about different types of masks and respirators and how to get the best fit.(CDC)
Use and Care of Masks | CDC
For face covering signage in multiple languages, scroll down to “Signage” on this OHA Page.
For printable posters including face covering guidance, visit this CDC page. |
Universal masking is no longer required of vaccinated or unvaccinated students or adults, but highly recommended.
At low community levels, wear a mask based on your personal preference or when required by district.
Face coverings are still required in health rooms and isolation rooms as required by OHA.
Health Room Masks Required Poster
Health Care Setting Masking Requirements FAQ | OHA (07/06/2022)
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CDC, OHA, and ODE recommend universal use of wearing a well-fitting mask/ face coverings indoors during periods of high transmission. Please include whether your school will implement this critical recommendation.
If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection. |
As case levels decrease from high, utilizing CDC, face coverings become optional.
If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness talk to your healthcare provider about additional precautions, such as wearing masks or respirators indoors in public
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Isolation Space
OAR 581-022-2220
Oregon state law requires that each school district “shall maintain a prevention oriented health services program for all students which provides:
Health care and space that is appropriately supervised and adequately equipped for providing first aid, and isolates the sick or injured child from the student body.”(ODE)
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Protocols are established in each building for a health room and an isolation room for illness, to separate people who have or may have a contagious disease from people who are not sick required by OAR 581-022-2220.
Staff trained in isolation room protocols, quarantine protocols, and wearing of PPE. Staff to support students on Individualized Health Management Plans and medical procedures. Offer access to COVID-19 testing.
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2022 OSNA Example Modification to the Health Room
At high community transmission levels schools will:
- Have designated trained staff that can support all student health and safety needs and are well informed of COVID-19 protocols.
- Begin to prepare the additional spaces identified for isolation use during an active outbreak.
- Have Screening protocols at time of arrival or during the school day per communicable disease protocol.
- Individuals with COVID-19 symptoms will be isolated, offered a test, and sent home
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Investigation and control of disease. District policies and procedures incorporate a layered approach to identifying, monitoring, and mitigating outbreaks of communicable diseases including COVID-19 and works closely with LPHA
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Symptom Screening, Surveillance and Monitoring
Monitoring and gathering data on which illnesses are present in a school aid in the mitigation of communicable disease.
CDC COVID-19 Symptoms Table
Symptom Surveillance Overview
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Symptom Surveillance Spreadsheet
Example Symptom Monitoring Google Form
A shared tracking tool, spreadsheet or Google form, that can be used in a variety of settings to monitor the types of symptoms seen on a daily basis in a school health or isolation room.
Active symptom screening takes place in the home as families determine whether or not to send students to school (Exclusion letter - This letter is available through OHA in multiple languages). School staff passively screen for symptoms through the school day. Schools do symptom surveillance when symptoms are reported (by families and school staff)
Modifying Student Information Systems for COVID-19 and Beyond
Tracking and reporting cases, immunizations, and absences can be done using student information systems
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Symptom Surveillance Spreadsheet
Example Symptom Monitoring Google Form
Outbreak Cluster Line List
A line list provides an approach for school nurses to document the number of students and staff identified with illness symptoms. Allowing them to collaborate with the designated local health department and school building/system leadership.
Modifying Student Information Systems for COVID-19 and Beyond
Tracking and reporting cases, immunizations, and absences can be done using student information systems
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Symptom Surveillance Spreadsheet
Example Symptom Monitoring Google Form
Modifying Student Information Systems for COVID-19 and Beyond
Tracking and reporting cases, immunizations, and absences can be done using student information systems
COVID-19 Case and Contact Reporting to Schools/School Districts;Verification of COVID-19 Cases
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COVID-19 Testing
It is critical that K-12 schools implement safety measures to keep schools open and students and staff healthy and safe from COVID-19. One key measure is regular COVID-19 testing in schools.(CDC 3/22)
Oregon's COVID-19 Testing in K-12 schools : COVID-19 Response : State of Oregon | OHA
School Testing for COVID-19 | CDC |
OHA offers both diagnostic and screening testing programs to all public and private K-12 schools in Oregon. Please include whether your school will offer diagnostic and screening testing, respectively.
OHA School Testing Table |
At high levels of community transmission offer increased access to testing. Possible examples are:
- Drive through clinics
- Before/after school testing sites
- Onsite collaboration
- Community outreach
- Offering the opportunity to opt-in to diagnostic testing or screening programs with appropriate consent
- Increase access to utilize the enhanced exposure testing, offering COVID-19 tests to students or staff at increased risk of severe illness and/or medically fragile individuals.
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Ensure access and equity in vaccination, testing, treatment, community outreach, support services for disproportionately affected populations |
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Airflow and Circulation
Ventilation is one component of mitigation strategies to prevent COVID-19 in the school setting.
Ventilation in Schools and ChildCare Programs | CDC
ESSER III: Improving Ventilation Brief
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Standard operating procedures have been established directing the inspection, maintenance, and filtration requirements of HVAC equipment as well as directions to maximize the ventilation of buildings by increasing fresh air intake, purging the building before and after occupancy, etc. Building HVAC outside air dampers will be adjusted such that their minimum damper setting meets recommended outside air infiltration rates per ADSHRAE 62.11-2019 “Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality.” |
During high levels of community spread ensure all systems are working at full capacity. Plan outside school events such as lunches, classes, recess when it is safe.
Additional mitigation measures include the assessment of individual spaces to determine the need for portable HEPA filtration systems. |
During moderate levels of community spread ensure all systems are working correctly. Monitor need for maintenance of systems. |
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Cohorting/Attendance
Cohorting and tracking of cohorts is a strong public health strategy to limit the spread of illness.
Examples:stable mealtime cohorts, classroom, table groups, and other group situations. Cohorts should be as small as feasible to minimize exposure. |
Attendance and absenteeism:
Modifying Student Information Systems for COVID-19 and Beyond
Tracking and reporting cases, immunizations, and absences can be done using student information systems.
A resource for if Cohorting is recommended/required or desired by your district: Coming Soon
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Schools should notify their LPHA about unusual respiratory disease activity if the following absence thresholds are met and at least some students are known to have influenza or COVID-like symptoms with the investigative process:
- At the school level: ≥ 30% student/staff population absent d/t illness
- At the cohort level: ≥ 20% students/staff absent d/t illness
Class Cohort Tracking Log
Modifying Student Information Systems for COVID-19 and Beyond
Tracking and reporting cases, immunizations, and absences can be done using student information systems
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COVID-19 Tracking and Communications
Tracking COVID-19 in Oregon Schools
Modifying Student Information Systems for COVID-19 and Beyond
Tracking and reporting cases, immunizations, and absences can be done using student information systems
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Contact Tracing
Contact tracing is not required for COVID-19 for the 2022-2023 school year, as there is no longer a requirement for exposed individuals to quarantine. Please see the section on cohorting instead, as notification to a cohort may be necessary in the case of an outbreak.
Each district and county has different capability and population desires for how to manage COVID-19. Resources for contact tracing in past school years are included in this section. |
Contract tracing tools support the identification of which students, staff, or other individuals were in close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual. Accurate contact tracing data can potentially limit the scope of a quarantine, and reduce additional spread. |
During periods of high transmission(response), if contact tracing is being practiced, these documents may help to guide more precise tracing, therefore eliminating unnecessary exclusions.
To report close contacts to your LPHA:
Cohort COVID Contact Information For LPHA
Classroom Contact Tracing Data Collection Form |
During recovery; if conducting contact tracing, continue tracing per your local public health authority recommendations and regulations.
This may look like tracing students:
- In stable settings
- Unmasked settings
- Where recommended distance is not kept
- On busses
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Physical Distancing
Layered mitigation efforts help to reduce the spread of illness. Physical distancing is one layer that can reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning | CDC (05/27/2022)
COVID-19 Guidance for Safe Schools | AAP (07/06/2022)
FAQ for K-12 | CDC (05/27/2022) |
Use outdoor spaces and/or spread students out as feasible (if possible due to climate and available space).
How to Protect Yourself and Others | CDC
Keep on Keeping Your Distance (2020) |
In the K-12 setting when masks are universally in place, close contact is 3 feet. When universal masking is not in place, close contact is 6 feet. Encourage physical distance of 3 or 6 feet (depending on your building's mask use). |
Continue to encourage physical distancing of 3 or 6 feet- depending on your district’s mask policy. Continue to encourage the use of outdoor space, if feasible due to climate. |
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Hand Washing
Practicing hand hygiene correctly is a simple yet effective way to prevent disease transmission.
Hand hygiene, which means cleaning your hands by washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol, is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and prevent spreading germs to others.
Handwashing in Communities: Clean Hands Save Lives | CDC
Health Promotion Materials | Handwashing | CDC |
Implementation of routine hand washing, before/during/after preparing food, before/after eating, before/after caring for someone who is sick, before/after using the restroom or changing diapers, after blowing your nose/coughing/sneezing, PE, music, etc.
Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette | FAQs | Infection Control | Division of Oral Health | CDC |
Across all district facilities and schools, access to hand washing stations augmented by the use of hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol will be always available.
Additional mitigation measures will be taken at higher risk activities such as breakfast/lunch, PE, and music.
Visual directions and posters are up across schools and district facilities about hand washing as well as cough etiquette. |
When cases are moderate, schools are encouraged to assign times for increased and additional hand hygiene availability such as: sanitizing stations at arrival and throughout the school and/or in the classrooms, or encouraging extra times for students to wash hands with soap and water throughout the school day. |
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Cleaning and Disinfection
The virus that causes COVID-19 can land on surfaces. It’s possible for people to become infected if they touch those surfaces and then touch their nose, mouth, or eyes. Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces can reduce the risk of infection.
Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility | CDC
Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning | CDC (05/27/2022) |
Cleaning with products containing soap or detergent reduces germs on surfaces by removing contaminants and decreases risk of infection from surfaces. Disinfecting kills any remaining germs on surfaces, which further reduces any risk of spreading infection.
Example:
Daily cleaning of all touch points in classrooms, transportation, common areas, cafeterias with a general cleaner.
- All restrooms disinfected daily
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At high levels of community transmission have access to cleaning and disinfecting (for trained staff) products readily available. Clean routinely throughout the day and especially focusing on high frequency touch points. At times when a space has increased illness or outbreak, assign appropriate staff to disinfect those areas at a higher level. Have a district plan of how to communicate that to staff and families to reduce any risk of spreading infection. |
At moderate levels of community transmission have access to cleaning readily available. Clean routinely throughout the day and especially focusing on high frequency touch points. At times when a space has increased illness, assign appropriate staff to disinfect those areas at a higher level. Have a district plan of how to communicate that to staff and families of cleaning practices to reduce any risk of spreading infection. |
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Training and Public Health Education
School-wide efforts , individual behaviors and education, including staff training, can reduce risk of disease transmission. (OHA/ODE)
Staff Training:
Considerations for Designing Staff Training
Communicable Disease Prevention in the School Setting Staff Training 22-23
COVID-19 Disease Update 22-23 Staff Training
Resources for Parents:
Parent Student Information Resources Links
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Public Health training/education for staff, students, parents and your community creates confidence, eases anxieties and makes the duty of communicable disease prevention, identification and management a team effort, enhancing outcomes and reducing the risk of misunderstandings and conflicts.
Resources Coming Soon.
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With the basics having been covered during times of lower transmission (Baseline), limit training and information communication to specific behaviors and actions that your target audience should be considering at this time.
Beware overwhelming your audience with 1) information that is contested without providing supporting evidence to gain or maintain trust and credibility, 2) unnecessary details that don’t directly support the main point and 3) language that is too complex, fear driven or not easily understood.
Resources Coming Soon
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Staff training in moderate community transmission levels should reinforce the basics and expectations from staff, as well as prepare staff for potential high community transmission periods.
Student, parent and community communication may emphasize the school’s preparedness and layered prevention as well as what they can expect in the case of increased or decreased community transmission rates.
Resources Coming Soon
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Communication Tools
“School and district leaders are encouraged to use these tools to communicate with staff, school boards, students, families, the media and their community about the 2021-22 school year. ”
Communications Toolkit | ODE
(last updated for 21-22 school year)
Oregon School Nurse Manual (section 2D) regarding sharing protected information during a public health emergency.
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The tools are customizable, and intended to serve as a starting point for school leaders to modify as needed to communicate with their community.
COVID-19 Case and Contact Reporting to Schools/School Districts | OHA
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During time of high disease transmission, this flow chart can help simplify communication between schools and community partners.
Communicable Disease Communication Protocol (08/2021)
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Help Protect Yourself and Others | CDC (3/1/2022)
COVID-19 Case and Contact Reporting to Schools/School Districts;Verification of COVID-19 Cases
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