• COVID-19 Updates and Information

    We will use this web page to share updates, information and resources for our families and community members. Any time-sensitive information will be shared via SchoolMessenger. 

    COVID-19 Screener

    In the event the digital screener is down, you can download a paper version of our daily COVID-19 health screener to print at home. If you need paper copies to keep at home, please reach out to school and we can send them home with your student.

    Layered Mitigation

    In conjunction with New York State, Green Island is following COVID-19 Layered Mitigation Protocols, indicating health and safety procedures will be directly related to the transmission rates in Albany County. 

    Procedures and Protocols

    COVID-19 Guidance (Updated March 2, 2022)

    Mask guidance:

    • The statewide mask mandate for school expired on March 2, 2022. Therefore, Green Island UFSD will no longer require students, staff or visitors to wear masks inside the building or on school buses.
    • Mask wearing will continue to be optional for all.
    • Masking is still required for anyone returning from isolation on days 6 through 10 of a COVID-19 infection.
      • Masks should be well-fitted and worn correctly (to cover nose and mouth) and should conform to CDC guidelines for masks and respirators.
      • Masks may be removed when eating, drinking, singing, going outside or playing a wind instrument. In these cases when masks are removed, social distancing of 6 or more feet should be maintained.
    • Regardless of vaccination status, it’s strongly encouraged for individuals to wear a mask 10 days after a known exposure.
    • NYS aligns with the CDC definition of close contact in schools. In settings where masks are not worn, anyone within a 6-foot radius of an infected person should be considered exposed.
    • The NYSDOH recommends students and staff wear a mask in the following scenarios:
      • An individual feels more comfortable wearing a mask for personal reasons.
      • An individual was in a room with a person infected with COVID-19 for 15 minutes or longer, and were therefore exposed or potentially exposed, when group contact tracing is used (see below).
      • An individual is known to have been exposed to COVID-19 in any setting within the previous 10 days.
      • An individual is moderately-to-severely immunocompromised and have discussed the need to mask with their healthcare provider(s).


    If a student is exposed to COVID-19:

    • If a student has been exposed to COVID-19, it is strongly recommended the individual get tested immediately.
    • In addition, an individual should be tested at least (5) days after the last date of exposure or potential exposure, regardless of vaccination status.
    • It’s strongly encouraged that individuals wear a well-fitting mask around others (e.g., at home, in public) for a full (10) days following the date of exposure.
    • If a student is symptomatic, please follow the guidelines in the section below.

    A student may return to school* after being exposed to COVID-19 if they fall under one of the following criteria:

    • Are up-to-date on their COVID vaccinations, as defined by the CDC.
    • Have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days.

    If a student is not up-to-date on their COVID vaccination and has not tested positive within the last 90 days, they will be excluded from school* for at least (5) days after their last close contact with an individual with COVID-19. The example below shows this process:

    • Day 0: Date of exposure.
    • Day 1: Stay home
    • Day 2: Stay home
    • Day 3: Stay home
    • Day 4: Stay home
    • Day 5: Stay home
    • Day 6: Return to school as long as no symptoms have developed.

    *Regardless of vaccination status, exposed individuals can stay in school by wearing a well-fitting mask and partaking in recommended testing. They also may participate in school-based extracurricular activities, continue to ride the school bus, and attend school-administered childcare programs. 

    Exposed students and/or their parents/guardians are primarily responsible for ensuring recommended testing occurs. At-home COVID-19 rapid test kits are provided by the school, in addition to PCR testing on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the nurse’s office from 8:30AM-10:30AM. To receive an at-home test kit or schedule a PCR test, contact nurse Kelley Valentine at kvalentine@greenisland.org. 

    If a student tests positive for COVID-19 at any time, including following an exposure, the following guidelines apply:

    If a student tests positive for COVID-19: 

    Regardless of vaccination status, if a student tests positive for COVID-19 they must isolate for a full (5) days. Students may return to school after day five if they are asymptomatic or if symptoms are resolving. An example can be viewed below:

    • Day 0: Symptom onset or test positive.
    • Day 1: Stay home
    • Day 2: Stay home
    • Day 3: Stay home
    • Day 4: Stay home
    • Day 5: Stay home
    • Day 6: Return to school if asymptomatic or if symptoms are resolving.

    If a student tests positive for COVID-19 and takes an over-the-counter (i.e., at-home, take-home) antigen test, parents/guardians should report the results to the Albany County Department of Health here. 

    • For students who have tested positive and have had symptoms, they can return to school after five days and must be:

      • Be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.
      • Have not lost their sense of taste or smell.
      • Have no runny nose.
      • Have no more than an infrequent, nonproductive cough that is not getting worse. Students with a cough must be able to tolerate continuous mask use as breaks are not allowed.
      • Have not experienced excessive or unusual fatigue.
      • Have no persistent headache or muscle aches.
      • Have no nausea, diarrhea or vomiting for at least 24 hours.
      • Be well enough to participate in school.


    State guidance states that all individuals should wear a well-fitting mask around others (e.g., at home, in public) for a full (10) days following the onset of symptoms on the first day (or the date of a positive test, if the student is asymptomatic).

    Immunocompromised individuals should follow the standard 10-day isolation guidance issued previously. It can also be viewed on our website here. 
     
    Furthermore, there may also be times when a student has COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.

    Even if there is no known exposure to COVID-19, it is very important that students who are sick do not attend school.

    If a student has COVID-19 symptoms:

    • Symptomatic individuals, regardless of vaccination status or recent infection, should stay home until tested and if positive or not tested, should isolate for (5) days, or until other criteria are met for school attendance (see bulleted list below), whichever is longer. The NYSDOH flow chart outlines school attendance and requirements for children who have symptoms consistent with vaccine side effects shortly after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

    • If a student is showing COVID-19 symptoms, they must have a lab negative NAAT, lab antigen test, or two negative over-the-counter (i.e., at-home or take-home) antigen tests taken 36 hours apart, regardless of vaccination status. This is required in order to return to school.

    If parents/guardians choose to do the two negative over-the-counter antigen tests, they must also present the following attestation signed by a parent or guardian and returned to the Health office. 

    In addition to a negative test result(s), students must be well enough to:

    • Participate in school;
    • Be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication;
    • Have no runny nose;
    • Have no cough severe enough to make mask wearing difficult or unhygienic;
    • Meet other school or district requirements to return to school after a non-COVID illness.

    If a student tests positive for COVID-19, please follow the guidance above. 

    Please also note: 

    • There is no exemption to the testing requirement for symptomatic students.
    • Students with symptoms that are part of a pre-existing medical condition (e.g., migraines, allergies) and are not new or worsening won’t be excluded from school or subject to testing.
    • If a healthcare provider makes a diagnosis of a confirmed non-COVID-19 acute illness (e.g. laboratory-confirmed influenza or strep throat) AND COVID-19 is not suspected, then a note signed by the healthcare provider explaining the alternate diagnosis may be provided to allow a student, teacher, or staff member to participate in school without COVID-19 testing. 

    Additional quarantine and isolation information can be found below. In addition, more information can be found on the Albany County Department of Health’s website and the NYS Department of Health website.
     

    COVID-19 Quarantine Guidance

    According to the CDC website, "Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick,".

    Quarantine is used to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by separating people who have been in close contact with an individual who has tested positive for the virus from others.

    The quarantine period for COVID-19 is (5) full days with onset of symptoms on day zero. Immunocompromised individuals should follow the standard 10-day quarantine guidance issued previously. It can also be viewed on our website here. 

    Students, teachers, and staff who come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 and are in one of the following groups do NOT need to quarantine:

    • People who are fully vaccinated.
    • People who are asymptomatic (wearing a mask for a full (10) days from their last known exposure is strongly encouraged during this time—see above guidance)
    • People who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days.

    View the most current COVID-19 quarantine guidance on the CDC website.
     

    COVID-19 Isolation Guidance

    According to the CDC website, "isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick,".

    Individuals who show symptoms of COVID-19 or who test positive should separate themselves from others in order to prevent transmission of the virus.

    • Students, teachers and staff who test positive for COVID-19 but are asymptomatic should isolate for at least (5) days.
    • Students, teachers, and staff who test positive for COVID-19 and have/had symptoms should isolate for at least (5) days.

    View the most current COVID-19 isolation guidance on the CDC website.
     

    COVID-19  Guidance on Return to School

    Testing to return to school after COVID-like symptoms is allowable only for those individuals who are:

    • Fully vaccinated* with COVID symptoms, with or without a known exposure; OR
    • Not fully vaccinated with COVID symptoms WITHOUT a known exposure.

    *According to the CDC, fully vaccinated is defined as two weeks after receiving a two-dose series of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

    Symptomatic individuals who have no known exposure to someone with COVID-19 can return to school activities with:

    • A lab negative NAAT, lab antigen test, OR
    • Two negative over-the-counter (OTC) or at-home antigen tests. These tests must be taken 36 hours apart. Student affirmation for over-the counter tests must be completed and returned to the Health Office.
    • Note from health care provider stating symptoms are not COVID related.

    In addition to testing, symptomatic individuals must:

    • Be well enough to participate in school;
    • Not have a runny nose or cough severe enough to make mask wearing difficult or unhygienic;
    • Be fever-free for 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medications; and
    • Meet other school/district requirements to return to school after a non-COVID illness.

    *Please note: There is no exemption to the testing requirement for symptomatic vaccinated individuals.*

    Child Care

    YMCA
    YMCA branch locations in the Capital Region are offering school-age child care for essential workers. Financial assistance is available for this care. Local school leaders are also working with the YMCA and other childcare providers to bring additional childcare options for emergency personnel to their school communities. To learn more and enroll in the YMCA school-age programs, please visit the YMCA website or call (518) 869-3500.

    A Childs Place at Unity House
    Essential workers needing child care for non-school-age children (birth to age five) can contact A Childs Place at Unity House or call (518) 271-6777.

    BrightsideUp
    Additional childcare resources in the Capital Region can also be found by contacting BrightsideUp (formerly the Capital District Child Care Council) or call (518) 426-7181.

    Resources