Hanover Public Schools Health Services Update 11/21/20
I am writing to provide you with some updated information from the Hanover Public Schools Health Services Department.
Travel Guidance
As we head into the Thanksgiving week, we would like to remind all families and staff of the Massachusetts Travel Order. In summary, if you travel outside of Massachusetts to any state that is not considered a lower risk state, you must either :
- Quarantine for a full 14 days after returning OR
- Receive a negative COVID-19 PCR (molecular) test and submit the results to the school nurse before returning. (A quick antigen test is not acceptable for returning).
It is suggested that you test after returning to Massachusetts. Testing done before leaving the state will not be accepted. If a parent or guardian of a child under 10 has a negative test result, that child does not have to quarantine or take a test, but parent test results would need to be submitted to the school nurse prior to the student returning.
Please see the Mass.gov website for additional information including special travel scenarios. Please send all testing documentation to your school nurse prior to returning to school. The Hanover Fire Department MIH testing program does not test for travel-related reasons. We recommend that you check for testing locations on the Mass.gov testing website.
Flu Vaccine
As you know, all students are required to have a flu vaccine prior to December 31, 2020. Please send documentation of vaccination to your school nurse as soon as possible. Anyone who received a vaccination from the Town of Hanover flu clinic will have that information shared with your child’s school nurse. General information regarding school vaccinations, including flu vaccination, may be found on the Mass.gov website.
Quarantine Guidance Update
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has made some changes to the quarantine guidance for anyone who is in close contact with a person who is in the infectious period of COVID-19. In summary, you will need to remain quarantined for:
- at least 14 days from the date of last exposure; or
- at least 10 days, provided all of the following are satisfied:
- you have not had, and do not have, any symptoms;
- you are tested on day 8 of your quarantine period or later using a molecular diagnostic test (e.g., polymerase chain reaction (PCR)) to detect the presence of the virus;
- you receive a negative test result; and
- you monitor yourself for symptoms for the full 14 days. If you develop symptoms you should contact your health care provider and school nurse to be re-tested.
Holiday Celebration Guidance
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has provided some guidelines to help lower the risk of becoming infected or spreading the COVID-19 virus during holiday celebrations. Please refer to the Mass.gov Holidays During COVID-19 in Massachusetts website for information.
Please reach out to me or any of the school nurses if you have any questions.
We would like to wish all of our families a very happy Thanksgiving. Stay well and be safe!
Sincerely,
Patricia Smith, BSN, RN, NCSN
Director of Health Services
psmith@hanoverschools.org