For the 2022-2023 School Year, Haverhill Public Schools will again align with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) guidelines for COVID management. The most recent guidance was published August 15, 2022 and may be found at the following link: COVID-19 Isolation and Exposure Guidance for Children and Staff in Child Care, K-12, Out-of-School Time (OST) and Recreational Camp/Program Settings

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) continues to work closely with MDPH and provide school guidance. COVID information from DESE may be found here: COVID-19 Guidance/On the Desktop Messages

VACCINATION

    • Vaccines continue to be the best way to protect individuals against the effects of COVID-19. DESE and DPH strongly recommend that all faculty, staff, and students, including the Commonwealth’s youngest children ages 6 months – 5 years, receive the COVID-19 vaccine primary series and all boosters, as they become eligible for them.  
    • Information about vaccination clinics across the state is available online at VaxFinder.
    • The Haverhill Health Department continues to offer COVID vaccine clinics at the 10 Welcome Street (Citizens Center) location on Thursday evenings from 4-7 p. All ages, and all vaccine formulas are available. For more information, please contact the Health Department at 978-374-2390.

COVID EXPOSURE

  • If you are exposed/in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID, quarantine is no longer required nor recommended for children or staff in these settings, regardless of vaccination status or where the exposure occurred. 
  • All exposed individuals may continue to attend programming as long as they remain asymptomatic. Those who can mask should do so until Day 10, and it is recommended that they test on Day 6 of exposure. 
  • If symptoms develop, follow the guidance for symptomatic individuals, below.

POSITIVE COVID TEST RESULT

  • Children and staff who test positive must isolate for at least 5 days. If they are asymptomatic or symptoms are resolving and they have been fever free without the use of fever-reducing medicine for 24 hours, they may return to programming after Day 5 and should wear a high-quality mask through Day 10:
    • If the individual is able to mask, they must do so through Day 10.
      • If the child has a negative test on Day 5 or later, they do not need to mask.
      • If the individual is unable to mask, they may return to programming with a negative test on Day 5 or later.

INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SYMPTOMATIC

COVID-19 symptoms

Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills

  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Muscle aches or body aches
  • Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)
  • Sore throat, when in combination with other symptoms
  • Nausea, vomiting, when in combination with other symptoms
  • Headache, when in combination with other symptoms
  • Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms
  • Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies), when in combination with other symptoms

 

    • SYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUALS WHO TEST ONSITE: 
      • Symptomatic individuals can remain in their school or program if they have mild symptoms, are tested immediately onsite, and that test is negative. 
      • Best practice would also include wearing a mask, if possible, until symptoms are fully resolved. 
      • For symptomatic individuals, DPH recommends a second test within 48 hours if the initial test is negative.
    • SYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUALS WHO DO TEST ONSITE:
      •  If the symptomatic individual cannot be tested immediately, they should be sent home and allowed to return to their program or school if:
        •  symptoms remain mild and they test negative, or 
        • they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and their symptoms are resolving, or 
        • if a medical professional makes an alternative diagnosis. 
      • A negative test is strongly recommended for return. 
  • Note: Symptomatic individuals will be required to mask in the school health office.

COVID TESTING OPTIONS