May 15th, 2023
COVID-19: End of the Public Health Emergency
May 11 marked the end of the Public Health Emergency for COVID-19. We have received information from Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and will continue to follow their (and CDC) guidance for schools and Early Childhood Education facilities as it relates to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. At this time, the following guidance still remains in place:
Staff and students exhibiting symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal illness, such as cough, fever, sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea, should stay home until they have resolution of or improvement in symptoms, including 24 hours free of fever, vomiting and diarrhea without medication.
Testing for COVID-19 is recommended for all individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, as soon as symptoms appear.
If your child will miss school due to illness, please continue to email health@parkwestcoop.org and your teaching team to report the absence.
Individuals testing positive for COVID-19 will be excluded from school and should isolate from others for 5 days post symptoms onset (or date of positive test, if asymptomatic) and can return on day 6 if symptoms resolve. Masking will be required through day 10.
Individuals exposed to a positive COVID-19 case will be encouraged to wear a mask through day 10 post exposure.
Park West will be required to continue to report outbreaks (defined as 5 or more cases or 20% of a classroom) to CDPH.
As COVID-19 Community Levels will no longer be reported, this will no longer be included in the weekly bulletin.