COVID-19 Exposure

No MUSD employee is required to work at a job the employee knows is not safe or healthful. Our cooperation in detecting hazards and, in turn, controlling them, is a condition of each person’s employment. 
​Reporting a Possible Exposure
COVID-19 symptoms should be reported to the supervisor and the COVID-19 designee, using the health screening portal Parent Square. COVID-19 hazards should be reported directly to their supervisor. If the supervisor is unavailable, then the employee should send the supervisor an email. Additionally, a COVID-19 hazard can be communicated by visiting our Coronavirus Page or completing the  Identification of COVID-19 Hazards Form.  Employees can report symptoms and hazards without fear of reprisal. ​
 A team of MUSD employees have been designated to monitor this pandemic and provide updates as necessary. ​Each district or school organization is required to designate a COVID-19 Designee to liaise with the Public Health Department of Santa Clara County. COVID-19 Designee for MUSD is Aven Magana.  
​
​Procedures for ​Administration 

MUSD Investigation and Response to COVID-19 Cases

Communication
Employees who had potential COVID-19 exposure in our workplace will be contacted by the COVID-19 designee or HR representative and will complete an Investigating COVID-19 Cases Form during the employee’s work hours. ​
Testing
In the event MUSD is required to provide testing because of a workplace exposure or outbreak, we will communicate the plan for providing testing and inform affected employees of the reason for the testing and the possible consequences of a positive test. Employees will need to transport themselves during work hours to the district location for a test to take a test with one of the trained district Nurse’s or proctors. If an employee is symptomatic, the employee will be directed to one of the free County testing locations and will be expected to take the test within 24 hours. We are working with state and other supplies
to secure potential testing for students.
Notification
MUSD will response within one business day after receiving notice of a potential exposure to COVID-19:
  • Provide written notice to all employees, and the employers of subcontracted employees, who were
    on the premises at the same worksite as the “qualifying individual” within the infectious period that
    they may have been exposed to COVID-19.
  • Provide written notice to the exclusive representative (union), if any, of the employees above.
  • Provide all employees who may have been exposed and their exclusive representative, if any, with
    information regarding COVID-19-related benefits to which they may be entitled, including but not
    limited to worker's compensation, COVID-19-related leave, and paid sick leave, as well as the
    employer's anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation policies.
  • Provide notice to all employees, the employers of subcontracted employees, and the exclusive
    representative, if any, of the disinfection and safety plan that the employer plans to implement and
    complete, per CDC guidelines.
Within 48 hours of learning of the outbreak, MUSD must notify the local public health agency in the jurisdiction of the worksite of the names, number, occupation and worksite of qualifying individuals, as well as the employer's business address and NAICS code of the worksite where the qualifying individuals worked. Following the reporting of an outbreak, the MUSD must continue
to give notice to the local health department of any subsequent laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the worksite.
​
Shutdown of work site if appropriate
Cal/OSHA can shut down or prohibit operations at a worksite when, in the opinion of Cal/OSHA, a worksite or operation “exposes workers to the risk of infection” of COVID-19 so as to constitute an imminent hazard. MUSD will determine whether to shutdown the work site if appropriate.
Exclusion of COVID cases
Where we have a COVID-19 case in our workplace, we will limit transmission by:
  • Ensuring that COVID-19 cases are excluded from the workplace until our return-to-work requirements are met.
  • Excluding employees with COVID-19 exposure from the workplace for 14 days after the last known COVID-19 exposure to a COVID-19 case.
  • Continuing and maintaining an employee’s earnings, seniority, and all other employee rights and benefits whenever we’ve demonstrated that the COVID-19 exposure is work related. This will be accomplished by informing employees in letter form of the leaves available to them through FFCRA or the Collective Bargaining Agreements, which includes workers’ compensation.
  • Providing employees at the time of exclusion with information on available benefits.

Testing & Reporting Procedures for Administration

​Scenario 1:  No Symptoms, No Close Contact with Confirmed Case, or No Positive Test
  • ​Continue daily self screening to monitor for symptoms
  • No quarantine
  • No testing required
  • Address any concerns with personal health provider
Scenario 2: Person displays COVID-19 Symptoms
  • Immediately mask, if not already, and send to Isolation area (or home, if staff) until can be transported home or to healthcare facility as soon as practicable
  • Close off areas used by any sick person and do not use before disinfection. To reduce risk of exposure PPE equipment will be used to protect staff and will be disinfected before reopening.
  • Require students and staff to get tested after they develop one or more COVID-19 symptoms or if one of their household members or non-household close contacts tested positive for COVID-19.
  • If tests negative or provides medical note explaining symptoms and reasons:​
    • Symptomatic individuals who are not close contacts and who test negative for COVID-19 can return to in-person school/work after at least 24 hours from fever resolution (if any) and improvements in other symptoms
    • Close contacts to a COVID-19 case who test negative can return to in-person school/work only after completion of 14 days of quarantine from last exposure
    • Documentation of negative test results must be provided to school administration
    • School/Class Remains Open
    • No Additional Communication
  •  Tests Positive:
    • Follow Confirmed Case protocol per SCPHD and provide the template letter with instructions.
    • Follow Close Contact protocol per SCPHD and provide the template letter with instructions, if close contacts are identified.
    • Students/staff members who test positive and have completed isolation requirements do not require a medical note of a negative test prior to returning to school/work.
Scenario 3:  Close Contact with Confirmed Case
  • Identify Close Contacts
  • Send Close Contacts home
  • Provide SCCPHD template letters for close contacts with instructions for quarantine and testing (quarantine is 14 days from last exposure).
  • Notify school cohort of a known close contact with template letter, if indicated
  • School remains open
Scenario 4:  Confirmed Case Infection
  • School administration notified
  • COVID-19 Designee should notify the Public Health Department within 4 hours of learning of any positive COVID-19 case.
  • Confirmed student/staff given template letter for positive COVID-19 with instructions for isolation.
  •  Follow Close Contact with Confirmed Case protocol (Scenario 3):
    • ​School based close contacts identified and given template letter with instructions for  quarantine and testing recommendations ​
      • For settings in which stable classroom cohorts have  been maintained: all students and staff within the same classroom cohort  as the confirmed COVID-19  case should be sent home immediately and instructed  to quarantine at home  for 14 days from the last exposure and be tested in  accordance with Public Health Department recommendations
      • For settings in which stable classroom cohorts have  NOT been maintained: Utilize class seating rosters and consultation with  teachers/staff to identify close contacts to the confirmed COVID-19 case in all  classrooms and on-campus  activities. Close contacts should be sent home immediately  and instructed to  quarantine for 14 days from the last exposure and  be tested in accordance with  Public Health Department recommendations
  • Urge parents/guardians to notify any individuals or  organizations with which their child has close contacts outside the school setting 
  • Disinfect classroom and spaces where case spent significant  time 
  • Notify school/workplace of known case 
  • School remains open per guidance from Local Health  Jurisdiction (LHJ) 
Checklist for a Positive Case
 Return-to-Work Criteria 
  • COVID-19 cases with COVID-19 symptoms will not return to work until all the following have occurred:
    • At least 24 hours have passed since a fever of 100.4 or higher has resolved without the use of ​fever-reducing medications. 
    •  COVID-19 symptoms have improved. 
    •  At least 10 days have passed since COVID-19 symptoms  first appeared.
  • COVID-19 cases who tested positive but never developed COVID-19 symptoms will not return to work until a minimum of 10 days have passed since the date of specimen collection of their first positive COVID-19 test.
  • A negative COVID-19 test will not be required for an employee to return to work.
  • If an order to isolate or quarantine an employee is issued by a local or stat  health official, the employee will not return to work until the period of isolation or quarantine is completed or the order is lifted. If no period was specified, then the period will be 10 days from the time the order to isolate was effective, or 14 days from the time the order to quarantine was effective.
​Procedures for Staff

Overview of COVID-19 Exposure Scenarios

Our Human Relations Team has put together this document informing team members of the process to follow if you experience any COVID-19 symptoms. Included is a link to County Public Health's Home Isolation & Quarantine Guidelines. 
​
For individuals who are displaying COVID-19 symptoms, possibly exposed to COVID-19 as a close contact, or in the process of waiting for screening results, a diagram is provided below to show your next steps.

COVID-19 Exposure Procedures for Staff

Once an exposure is reported to your site administrator, you will receive a letter with detailed instructions on what to do.
  • If you are a  "non contact," resume with normal activities.
  • If you are a "close contact," COVID-19 positive, or have symptoms, please follow the steps below:
    • Stay home.
    • Complete Parent Square Health Screening.
    • Enter absence in ARS and Sub System, if applicable.
    • Contact medical provider.
    • Isolate and follow isolation/quarantine instructions. See below.
    • Get tested immediately. Follow instructions given by your administrator.

Who is a Close Contact?

The Public Health Department of Santa Clara County declares that "CLOSE CONTACT of a COVID-19 positive person = Someone who has been within 6 feet of the positive person while they were infectious for 15 minutes or more (even if one or both people were wearing facemasks). A  COVID-19 positive person is considered to be infectious from 48 hours before their symptoms began (or 48 hours before they were tested for COVID if they never had symptoms)."  Health officials, staff, and families will be notified if they have been in close contact with a positive case of  COVID-19 while maintaining confidentiality as required by state and federal laws. 

​In general, close contacts means you have been:
  • Within 6 feet of a COVID-19 positive person for 15 minutes or more (even both parties had face masks).
  • In direct physical contact (kissing, hugging, etc.)
  • Shared eating, drinking utensils.
  • Contact with respiratory secretions (coughing, sneezing, etc. close to you) ​.

​Anyone who is a close contact to a COVID-19 positive person will have to quarantine. See quarantine procedures below. HR will assist in identifying and supporting MUSD staff that are close contacts and school site administrators will assist in identifying and supporting students that were close contacts. To request help in notifying your Close Contacts outside of MUSD without revealing your identity to them, please call 408-970-2870.
​Home Isolation and Quarantine
If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, you must quarantine and isolate. Based on the Santa Clara County Public Health Department recommendations, ​MUSD quarantine/isolation period is:
14 Days
Go to the  County Public Health's Home Isolation & Quarantine Guidelines  for more details.

Quarantine Procedures by Day

Day  0 - 10:  Isolation/Quarantine ​
According to the Santa Clara County of Public Health:
  • Isolation = used for an individual who is COVID-19 positive and contagious.
  • Quarantine = used for an individual who is a close contact or after traveling more than 150 miles from home.
The general procedures are the same:
  • Stay at home for 14 days from last day of exposure except to seek medical attention until you are not contagious. Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home. Note: If you are severely immunocompromised or ill, your doctor may recommend a longer isolation period.
  • Monitor your symptoms closely and seek medical care if symptoms worsen, especially if you are at a higher risk
    of serious illness
  • Avoid contact with others. Anyone who continues to be in close contact with you will need to extend their quarantine until 14 days from the day you finish isolating.
  • Do not share household items.
  • Do not prepare or serve food to others.
  • Limit contact with pets.
  • Do not use public transportation or areas.
  • Prevent spread by practicing good hygiene at home.
  • Practice homecare.
  • If you have symptoms, you can be with others after:
                       -At least 10 days since symptoms first appeared,
                       -24 hours with no fever (without use of fever-reducing medication) AND improvement in symptoms
  • If you have no symptoms, you can be with others after:
                      -10 days have passed since your first positive test was collected
Day  6  - 7:  Repeat COVID-19 Testing
  • Get tested again 6-7 days after the last exposure to a positive case or whenever you experience symptoms.
  • You can be tested whether you have symptoms or not.
  • Free COVID-19 tests in your area.
Day 11 - 14:  Self-Monitoring 
  • Be alert for symptoms of COVID-19, especially a dry cough or shortness of breath
  • Take your temperature every morning and night and write it down, along with other symptoms
  • Call your doctor if you have trouble breathing or a fever (100.4°F / 38°C). -Don’t seek medical treatment without calling first
​Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
MUSD has updated its COVID-19 Exposure FAQs flow chart (with Spanish version) as another readily available resource for all MUSD team members.
​Q:  What leaves are available to me?
MUSD will Continue and maintain an employee’s earnings, seniority, and all other employee rights and benefits whenever we’ve demonstrated that the COVID-19 exposure is work related. This will be accomplished by informing employees in letter form of the leaves available to them through FFCRA or the Collective Bargaining Agreements, which includes workers’ compensation.
  • ​The FFCRA provides full-time employees up to 80 hours of paid sick leave due to COVID-19 related reasons for either yourself or to care for another individual.
  • Part-time employees are eligible for the number of hours of leave that the employee works on average over a two-week period.
  • If you exhaust your 80 hours of paid sick leave and require additional time off for childcare, the FFCRA provides up to 10 additional weeks of leave if your child’s school or place of care is closed due to a COVID-19 reason.
  • To request leaves under FFCRA, please download the FAMILY FIRST CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT (FFCRA) LEAVE REQUEST FORM and submit it to your HR Analyst.
  • You may also use your sick leave or personal necessity leave.
​
Go to our Intranet for more information.
Q:  ​If I test positive for COVID-19, who is notified?
  • Employee shares positive test with supervisor and HR representative.
  • COVID-19 Liaison ensures affected parties are made aware and provides direction.
  • Public Health Department needs to know all positive cases and close contacts of a positive case within 4 hours of being informed of positive case.
  • Keenan & Associates is notified within 3 business if the employee tests positive 14 calendar days before receiving the test. Keenan Positive Test Tracking Link.
Q: What happens if a high amount of staff/student population is exposed to COVID?
If 5% of the school/office is positive, the school quarantines. If 25% of the schools' population is positive, the District quarantines until PHD clears for in-person learning and working.

Resources
​For a complete list of forms and posters for your campus, go to the Staff Tool Kit on the Intranet.

Milpitas Unified School District
1331 E. Calaveras Blvd. 
Milpitas, CA 95035
408.635.2600
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