Notification/Guidance for Close Contacts to COVID-19 in the School Setting

Dear Parent/Teacher/Staff,

If you received this letter, you or your child have been identified as a close contact to a case of COVID-19 in the school setting. Close contact is defined as any individual within 6 feet of the infected person for at least 15 minutes or greater (cumulative) while the COVID-19 infected person is contagious. An infected person can spread SARS-CoV-2 starting 2 days before they have any symptoms (or, for asymptomatic people, 2 days before the positive specimen collection date). Based on this close contact, the following instructions are provided.

For 5 days* following potential exposure, you, or your child:

• Will be excluded from the school setting for a minimum of 5 days after last exposure to the case of COVID-19.

• Should remain quarantined at home for 5 days after your (or your child’s) last exposure to the case.

• Are recommended to be tested on day 5.

• Should monitor for symptoms and if symptoms develop, get tested and see a medical provider for evaluation.

• May return to school following the 5-day quarantine and school exclusion period if no symptoms develop.

• To return to the school setting after the 5 days of quarantine, you must continue to wear a mask for an additional 5 days. (Masks must be worn at all times in school and extracurricular activities, with the exception of outdoor activities where participants are 6 feet apart.)

• Fully vaccinated (and boosted if eligible) persons in close contact with an infected person do NOT have to quarantine unless they develop symptoms (fully vaccinated persons are recommended to receive COVID-19 testing 5 days after exposure to rule out infection).

• People who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days and recovered do not have to quarantine or get tested again as long as they do not develop new symptoms.

For additional information please see:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

• Mississippi State Department of Health https://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/14,0,420.html

• Canton Public School District COVID-19 Coordinator Dr. Shelethia McGruder can be contacted at 601-842-5216.

CDC RECOMMENDATIONS

Starting immediately, if you received your last dose of the Pfizer vaccine six months or more ago and fall into one of three high-risk groups, you can receive a booster, said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. Those groups are:
1. People age 65 or older;
2. Anyone with a medical condition that puts them at a higher risk of severe illness with COVID, like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and others;
3. People who work or live in a high-risk setting:

• First responders (healthcare workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff)
• Education staff (teachers, support staff, daycare workers)
• Food and agriculture workers
• Manufacturing workers
• Corrections workers
• S. Postal Service workers
• Public transit workers
• Grocery store workers

-"Depending on your location, you can get these shots at pharmacies, doctors’ offices, or vaccination sites," said Jeff Zients, the White House COVID-19 coordinator.
“Boosters will be free for everyone, regardless of immigration or health insurance status. No ID or insurance required,” he said.

-Pfizer announced this week that its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective for children ages 5-11, meaning the vaccine could be approved for children as early as the end of October. 

Canton Public School District COVID-19 Numbers

Week of January 31-February 4, 2022

Note: The numbers shown only reflect the new cases reported for the week.

Ninth Grade Academy hosted a vaccination drive January 28, 2022.  Truly Family Health Care Clinic provided the services.  

McNeal Elementary School will host a vaccination drive February 8, 2022 from 4-6 p.m.  G.A. Carmichael will provide the services.

Porter Middle School will host a vaccination drive February 17, 2022 from 3-6 p.m.  Truly Family Healthcare Clinic will provide the services.

Canton Public School District COVID-19 Numbers

Week of January 17-21, 2022

Note: The numbers shown only reflect the new cases reported for the week.

The Ninth Grade Academy will host a vaccination drive on January 28, 2022.  The Truly Family Health Care Clinic will provide the services.

Canton Public School District COVID-19 Numbers

Week of January 10-14, 2022

Note: The numbers shown only reflect the new cases reported for the week.

Goodloe Elementary School will host a vaccination drive on January 13, 2022. The Ninth Grade Academy will host its vaccination drive on January 28, 2022.  TheTruly Family Health Care Clinic will provide the services.

Canton Public School District COVID-19 Numbers

Week of January 3-7, 2022

Note: The numbers shown only reflect the new cases reported for the week.

Canton Public School District Current COVID-19 Numbers

Week September 27- October 1, 2021

Canton Public School District Current COVID-19 Numbers

Week September 20-24, 2021

Monoclonal Antibodies for High-Risk COVID-19 Positive Patients

• Have you tested positive for COVID-19?
• Are you 65 years or older?
• Are you 12 years or older and have a chronic condition?

If so, the IMMEDIATE use of monoclonal antibody treatments could help reduce your need for hospitalization!

What are Monoclonal Antibodies?

The monoclonal antibodies treatments bamlanivimab/etesevimab (made by Eli Lilly and Company) and the therapeutic cocktail casirivimab/imdevimab (made by Regeneron) are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune system’s ability to fight off harmful pathogens such as viruses. Monoclonal antibodies treatments are given to help treat patients with COVID-19. The sooner the treatment, the better!

How do I get treatment?

• Call your local healthcare provider
• Visit a treatment locator at http://infusioncenter.org maintained by the National Infusion Center Association (NICA) or https://protect-hhs.gov/pages/therapeutics-distribution#distribution-locations maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Visit your local infusion center.

Click on the link below to view the flyer:

COVID ANTIBODIES INFORMATION

Canton Public School District Current COVID-19 Numbers

Week August 23-27, 2021

• Have you tested positive for COVID-19?
• Are you 65 years or older?
• Are you 12 years or older and have a chronic condition? antibodies

If so, the IMMEDIATE use of monoclonal antibody treatments could help reduce your need for hospitalization!

Ask your local healthcare provider.