Examples of close contact are;

You stay in the same home

You are intimate partners

You traveled in the same car while the person was infectious.

Contact a medical health provider or 16000, the COVID-19 helpline and request medical guidance. When you call for medical care, tell the provider that you are quarantining at home because you are in close contact with someone who has COVID-19.

Stay at home and watch for symptoms for 14 days

It is important to follow home quarantine rules. You have a duty and responsibility to protect yourself, your family, your friends and community as a whole.

• Watch for symptoms, even if mild, of cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell

• Don’t leave home, except to get medical care. Wear a mask if you need to leave home.

• Do not allow visitors in the home

• Call ahead before visiting a health care provider or emergency department to ensure you can be seen quickly and safely

• If possible, stay in a specific room in your home and use a separate bathroom

• Stay at least six feet away from others in your home at all times. Wear a mask if you’re in any room with other people, unless you have trouble breathing. Don’t share household items.

• Stay connected with others – use technology to communicate with friends and family

Daily cleaning and washing

• Clean and disinfect surfaces and contaminated items at least once a day including door handles, toilets, TV remote, mobile phones and all other high touch items

• If you are staying in a separate room and using a separate bathroom, clean them yourself. Have someone else clean the other areas of the home. If your bathroom is shared by others, please make sure that you clean the bathroom after use.

• Thoroughly wash household items, like utensils, after using. Avoid sharing personal household items such as; eating and drinking utensils, clothes, bed linen, pillows and towels with other household members.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.

• Wash your clothes separately from others at home

• People with mild illness can treat their symptoms at home: get plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take fever-reducing medication if needed

If you are showing symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, or fever;

• Use a face mask

• Avoid close contact with others

• Increase fluid intake, and take fever lowering medications when necessary

•If your symptoms become worse, contact our call center immediately: 16000

An important factor in maintaining a sense of normalcy is helping to maintain normal school relationships in a virtual setting. Each division has implemented various mechanisms to accomplish this goal. In the Lower Elementary School (LES) Students are working with one another in small groups and independently to support peer to peer and peer to Teacher relationships through conversation, games, and play. In addition, Specialist Teachers (Music, Art, PE, etc.) are having virtual classes where Students can see one another and offer a smile into the camera at their friends while speaking to one another briefly. Virtual show-and-tell experiences bring stories of toys while dance moves can bring a sense of school socialization into the home. During these activities, LES Counselors have commented and given kudos on the tasks and fun Students have been having. They also facilitate weekly virtual guidance lessons to foster social-emotional health. The Upper Elementary School (UES) has been able to make a similar experience a bit more developmentally appropriate through activities offered on their Teneen page. Virtual games, Chopped Junior (cooking show), Meme making, and using Tik Tok (ASD STYLE), talent shows, sports skills challenges, and Origami videos have enabled these Students to remain engaged with one another. There are also themed days in which UES Students may work on their social-emotional awareness such as Mindful Monday, Take action Tuesday, Well-being Wednesday, and Thankful Thursday. Counselors often find room in these moments to gauge how Students are feeling and areas where they may need extra help.

In the Middle School (MS) and High School (HS) Students are getting used to regularly reaching out to their friends independently outside of school. MS counselors are using “Traffic Light check-ins to see how students are doing with their work hard (TVS), play hard, family, friends and overall health & well-being,” states MS Counselor Jen Hammonds. These check-ins are supplemented with follow up emails and action planning. In the HS, systems are proving digital communications options are good preparation for university-level experience where there is a growing trend of offering courses in a hybrid format. ASD HS Students are able to still access their counselor’s schedules and make appointments for Zoom calls. HS Counselor Jackie Feldstein states during these interactions she encourages students to do their best to maintain their connections and relationships with friends and gives positive reinforcement when students are doing this. However, when students are having a hard time she strategizes with them to assist in maintaining these relationships.

A big piece in this huge wellness puzzle is having parents involved in the process. Parent involvement is particularly important in LE where parents have been forced to play the role of teacher with their young learners. Zoe Gare, LES Counselor, informed me about the Counselor’s Corner where parents can find resources that are accessible daily through Teneen. LE counselors are also aiding parents by helping to facilitate referrals for students who need additional emotional support as well. Sara MacDonald, an UE counselor, has shared some resources she provides such as healthy choice boards, parenting tips during this time, and Zoom meetings with families for those struggling with TVS.

The immune system alone can’t fight infection, the owner of the body must help its own immune system bolster its very foundation. Like in a real war scenario, one key factor of winning is a strong defense. In a time of this pandemic, having a well-functioning and strong immune system is akin to having a wealth that cannot be stolen. While there is no known formula to specifically make yourself insusceptible to any invading microorganism that can ultimately infect you, there are some hacks that can invigorate your body’s natural defenses.

Here are some quick tips:

Eat a balanced diet

This simply means the Go, Grow and Glow food table must be observed. Eating highly processed foods must be avoided. It’s optimum to eat organic and natural food. Stay Hydrated! -6-8 glasses of water is the recommended water intake per day. Keep your immunity up by drinking more water to ward off infection. Staying hydrated aids your body to naturally get rid of toxins and other bacteria that may cause an ailment.

Get enough sleep

Sleep demand differs from person to person; however, adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per day. Young kids and teenagers require even more.

Exercise regularly

Similar to a healthy diet, exercise can be a factor in overall good health. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity for three days in a week. These activities can include yoga, walking, biking, swimming and other easy-on-the-joints workouts.

Wash your hands

What is the main purpose of handwashing? The principal purpose of washing our hands is to cleanse the hands of bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms that can cause harm. Please do wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Maintain a healthy weight

Losing Weight Helps the Immune System. Excess fat around the abs can turn the body's defense system against you, leading to heart disease and other conditions. Australian researchers found that for obese individuals, shedding just 10 pounds could straighten out an off-balance immune system.

Steer clear of or reduce vices

Alcohol intake, smoking or use of illegal drugs can weaken your immune system. Drink moderately, don’t smoke and never use prohibited drugs.

When the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic, many scientists were already working tirelessly to aid in the recovery of patients suffering from this disease. Numerous clinical trials of investigational drugs are being conducted to expedite the discovery of SARS-CoV-2 treatment and can be accessed in ClinicalTrials.gov.

Currently, there are no approved or recommended therapeutic agents by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to halt the COVID-19. Under section 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), the FDA Commissioner may allow unapproved medical products or unapproved uses of approved medical products to be used in an emergency to diagnose, treat, or prevent serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions caused by CBRN threat agents when there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives. Hence, Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to some medicines that are already in use for other health conditions such as antiviral Remdesivir and antimalarial drugs Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine were issued.

Remdesivir is a nucleoside inhibitor also known as GS-5734. This investigational antiviral drug received EUA on May 01, 2020 for the treatment of suspected or laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in adults and children hospitalized with severe disease. According to the FDA, even there is limited information known about the safety and effectiveness of using Remdesivir, it was shown in a clinical trial to shorten the time to recovery in some patients.

Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine also received EUA from the FDA as investigational drugs. These medicines have been used in the prevention and treatment of malaria and the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as mentioned in one study in JAMA. However, its clinical results in the treatment for COVID-19 varied. In late April, the agency issued a warning against the use of both medicines outside of medical facilities. It stated there were “serious and potentially life-threatening heart rhythm problems” connected with the drugs.