COVID-19

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

• Fever or chills

• Cough

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

• Fatigue

• Muscle or body aches

• Headache

• New loss of taste or smell

• Sore throat

• Congestion or runny nose

• Nausea or vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

• It’s especially important to wash:

  • Before eating or preparing food

  • Before touching your face

  • After using the restroom

  • After leaving a public place

  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing

  • After handling your cloth face covering

  • After changing a diaper

  • After caring for someone sick

  • After touching animals or pets

• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact

• Inside your home: Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

  • If possible, maintain 6 feet between the person who is sick and other household members.

• Outside your home: Put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.

  • Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread virus.

  • Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people.

  • Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others

• You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick.

• The cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.

• Everyone should wear a cloth face cover in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

  • Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

• Do NOT use a face mask meant for a healthcare worker. Currently, surgical masks and N95 respirators are critical supplies that should be reserved for healthcare workers and other first responders.

• Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.

Cover coughs and sneezes

• Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow and do not spit.

• Throw used tissues in the trash.

• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Clean and disinfect

• Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.

• If surfaces are dirty, clean them. Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

• Then, use a household disinfectant. Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants

• external icon

• will work.

Monitor Your Health Daily

• Be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.

  • Especially important if you are running essential errands, going into the office or workplace, and in settings where it may be difficult to keep a physical distance of 6 feet.

• Take your temperature if symptoms develop.

  • Don’t take your temperature within 30 minutes of exercising or after taking medications that could lower your temperature, like acetaminophen.

• Follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.

• Face coverings must be used in accordance with CDPH guidelines unless a person is exempt as explained in the guidelines, particularly in indoor environments and areas where physical distancing alone is not sufficient to prevent disease transmission.

• Face coverings are strongly encouraged for young children between two years old and second grade, if they can be worn properly. A face shield is an acceptable alternative for children in this cohort who cannot wear them properly.

• In order to comply with this guidance, schools must exclude students from campus if they are not exempt from wearing a face covering under CDPH guidelines and refuse to wear one provided by the school.

• Students exempted from wearing a face covering due to a medical condition should wear a non-restrictive alternative, such as a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge, as long as their condition permits it.

1. COVID-19 Symptoms (e.g., fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, difficulty breathing):

   1. Stay home

   2. Report symptoms to covid19@valleyoakcharter.org

2. Close contact with a confirmed COVID19 case:

   1. Stay home

   2. Quarantine for 10 days from last exposure

   3. Testing is recommended but will not shorten 10- day quarantine.

   4. Contact covid19@valleyoakcharter.org to notify staff of exposure

3. Confirmed COVID-19 case infection:

   1. Notify the local public health department

   2. Stay home for 10 days from symptom onset or test date.

   3. Your student may return to school 24 hours after symptoms resolve

All information will be kept confidential as required under FERPA and state law related to privacy of educational records..

The staff at VOC is dedicated to providing a learning space that is supportive and safe. In order to maintain the safety of our community which includes family and staff, VOC has implemented the following safety protocol.

Valley Oak Charter has assigned liaisons who will be evaluating and adapting safety protocols on a regular basis to reflect any updates in guidance.

Plans for distance learning have been established and will be available in the event of any repeated school closures.

Staff will reinforce washing hands, avoiding contact with one's eyes, nose, and mouth, and covering coughs and sneezes.

Individual student supplies will be provided in labeled containers that are not shared among students. These containers and the materials they contain will be regularly disinfected.

Staff will clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at least daily and, as practicable, these surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected frequently throughout the day.

All cleaning products and disinfectants used are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Staff will promote physical distancing and the use of facial coverings.

Health screenings will be implemented upon arrival at school for both students and staff.

To reduce possibilities for infection, students will remain in the same space and cohort including for free time. Teachers will be assigned to each cohort.

Outdoor spaces will be used as much as possible.

Nonessential visitors and volunteers will be limited.