The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shared that the five-day isolation period for anyone who tests positive for COVID is no longer required throughout the pandemic and after FCCPS has been committed to following the guidelines of the CDC.

As of Monday, March 4, 2024, Falls Church City Public Schools will no longer require the five-day isolation and follow the most recently updated CDC guidelines. Students and staff may return to school/work after testing positive when they are fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours and their symptoms are resolving. COVID is now endemic in our communities and will be treated as other respiratory viruses like the flu. 

FCCPS will continue to provide access to free rapid COVID tests for staff and students via our health clinics for anyone who needs one. It is also important to remember to remain home if you are not feeling well and have symptoms such as fever, cough, and congestion to prevent the spread of disease. Below is the information from the CDC and a link to the complete guidance.

Please get in touch with your school's health clinic with questions specific to your student. 

The current CDC guidance is:

• Step 1: Stay at home. As much as possible, you should stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both:

  1. Your symptoms are getting better overall, and

  2. You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).

This advice is similar to what has been recommended for flu for decades. It will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses during the most contagious period after infection. Not all respiratory virus infections result in a fever, so paying attention to other symptoms (cough, muscle aches, etc.) is essential to determine when you are well enough to leave home. If your symptoms are getting better and stay better for 24 hours, you are less likely to pass your infection to others, and you can start getting back to your daily routine and move on to step 2.

• Step 2: Resume normal activities and use added prevention strategies over the next five days, such as taking more steps for cleaner air, enhancing your hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others, and getting tested for respiratory viruses. People can choose to use these prevention strategies at any time. Since some people remain contagious beyond the "stay-at-home" period, taking added precautions can lower the chance of spreading respiratory viruses to others.

People who are at higher risk for severe illness and who start to feel sick should seek health care right away so that they can access testing and treatment. Early treatment for COVID-19 or flu may prevent severe disease in people at higher risk, even if they are up to date with their vaccines.

https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/updated-respiratory-virus-guidance.html

FCCPS Public Health Nurses:
Laura Giles (gilesl@fccps.org)
Alison Dodd (dodda@fccps.org)

Vaccine Support/Locator:
https://www.vaccines.gov/ 

Please get in touch with Rebecca Sharp, Executive Director of Special Education & Student Services (rsharp@fccps.org), if you have any questions or need additional information.