JCPS releases guidelines for students returning to school

Jackson County Public Schools has released guidelines for students returning to school after the holidays. The guidelines are part of a social media campaign the district has launched over the holiday break featuring messages from school administration and staff during families to take precautions.

With COVID-19 cases continuing to rise, the school system is urging families to take extra caution as they send children back to school. Jackson County Schools lead nurse, Christy Reagan, says children should not return to school if they are experiencing any COVID-19 related symptoms.

“If your child or anyone in your household is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever, chills, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new cough, or new loss of taste or smell, please do not send your child to school, or any siblings who live in the household to school,” said Reagan.“Anyone who is showing symptoms should be tested for COVID-19.”

According to Reagan, if your child has a medical diagnosis from a healthcare provider that explains their symptoms as something other than COVID-19, they can return to school once they are symptom-free for 24 hours, without the use of medication.

Reagan also said that each member of your household must quarantine if someone tests positive for the virus.

“If someone else in your household is diagnosed with COVID-19, that person will need to isolate for ten days at home. Anyone living in the home will need to stay at home for those ten days, and then quarantine for seven to ten more days,” said Reagan.“If your child is the person with COVID-19, they may return to school after ten days of isolation at home.”

Any other children in the household may return to school after at least seven more days of quarantine, with a negative COVID-19 test no sooner than the fifth day, or ten more days without a test result.

For more information, you can contact Jackson County Public Schools at 828-586-2311.