OBAP Youth Programs COVID Policies and Procedures

DEFINITIONS:

Exposure:

If, within the last 5 days, any non-immune (as defined below) member of your household has a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 or has been in close contact with anyone who has a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, then all non-immune members of your household must remain out of the academy. In addition, all symptomatic individuals, including any immune individuals, must remain out of the academy, unless cleared to return.

Immune:

Individuals will be considered “immune” commencing:

1. For vaccinated individuals: 2 weeks after completing the full course of vaccination.
2. For previously positive individuals (with a lab-confirmed case): for the ninety (90) day period commencing ten (10) days after the onset of symptoms, or in the case of an asymptomatic individual, ten (10) days after the date tested.

Household Members:

Means anyone living or present in the household on a regular basis (e.g. houseguests, nannies, caregivers, home health workers, contractors, etc.) and includes anyone with pick up or drop off privileges at OBAP’s ACE Academies.

Close Contact:

Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic individuals, 2 days prior to test date). 

Factors to consider in determining Close Contact include proximity, duration of exposure, whether the infected individual was symptomatic and/or generating respiratory aerosols (e.g., was coughing, singing, shouting), and other environmental factors (crowding, adequacy of ventilation, whether exposure was indoors or outdoors). Masks are not a substitute for social distancing. Consequently, when determining Close Contact for members of the general public, the determination should be made irrespective of whether the contact was wearing respiratory PPE or fabric face coverings.

COVID-19 Response Team:
Individuals designated by OBAP to oversee the implementation, decision-making and guidance of OBAP’s COVID-19 Policies and Procedures.

Our COVID Team:

• Tennesse Garvey
• Titus Sanders
• Torette Williams
• Local ACE Academy Director

ILLNESS:

OBAP’s Health Check & Illness Policy applies to all staff, volunteers, children and their household members. The decision on whether to exclude an individual from the program due to illness will be made by the local ACE Academy Director.

For your child's comfort, and to reduce the risk of contagion, children must be picked up within 1 hour of notification of illness. Until then, your child will be kept comfortable and will continue to be observed for symptoms.

DAILY HEALTH CHECK:

All staff, families, children and their household members must complete the Daily Health Screening electronically prior to student drop-off. Should you or any household member have any of the following COVID-19-like symptoms we ask you to remain out of the ACE Academy and notify the ACE Academy Director as soon as able.

Symptoms include: 

• Cough
• Sore Throat
• Muscle Aches
• Difficulty Breathing
• New Loss of Taste or Smell
• Fever at or above the threshold temperature of 100.4° F (or would have, but for the use of fever-reducers). The threshold temperature is 100.4° F, unless a LOWER threshold temperature is imposed in the local jurisdiction.

The Daily Health Check questions and the temperature threshold may be updated from time to time. All symptomatic individuals, including any immune individuals, must remain out of the academy, unless cleared to return.

Note: If the exclusionary symptom has already been cleared by the COVID-19 Response Team, then a “yes” to the continued presence of a cleared symptom will not result in exclusion.

SYMPTOMS—RETURNING AFTER EXCLUSION:

A student within a household with a positive case of COVID, will be required to remain out of the academy for at least 10 days. There are, however, two options for a student to return earlier following an exclusion due to symptoms or exposure:

• Positive Case: A positive case individual may return when:
  1. At least five (5) days have passed.
  2. Fever free at least 24 hours (without fever reducers)
  3. Symptoms are improving
  4. Negative PCR Test

• Exposure Case: An exposed individual may return when: 
  1. Five (5) days have passed
  2. Everyone in the household continues to be symptom-free
  3. A student must provide certification of a negative test (antigen or PCR) taken on day 5 or later because children cannot reliably mask 
  4. For anyone who chooses not to provide a test, they can return after ten (10) days have passed

• Symptomatic Individual: A symptomatic individual is excluded for five days, but may return sooner by providing one of the following:
  1. Negative PCR (or other molecular) Test Result - for the symptomatic individual(s) 
  2. Early Return Certification of Negative Antigen Test Results taken day two (2) or after – for the symptomatic individual(s). Onset of symptoms is considered day “zero” and the symptomatic household is excluded from day zero until cleared. This includes at home testing kits. 
  3. Medical Clearance:  A medical provider assesses the symptomatic individual and provides acceptable clearance to return. Medical Clearance cannot be provided by a family member.

Early Return Confirmation (Return to ACE Academy Exclusion Form): 

An individual who tests negative with a molecular (PCR) test or Rapid Antigen test will be able to return by providing a signed Return to ACE Academy Exclusion Form.

To be eligible for Early Return, the indicating symptoms are improving, there have been no new symptoms since testing, and the individual has been fever-free for at least 24 hours.

Clearance to Return: If a medical provider assesses the symptomatic individual and provides acceptable clearance to return, then the individual will be cleared to return, and the ten (10) day exclusion period will not apply. Clearance to return will be acceptable if a medical provider confirms in writing that:

1. the individual has tested negative and can return when fever-free for at least 24 hours (without use of fever-reducers) and symptoms are resolving,
2. there is an alternate diagnosis causing the COVID-like symptoms and the individual has tested positive for a confirmed non-COVID microbiological diagnosis, or negative for COVID-19 using a molecular or antigen test for SARS- CoV-2, or 
3. there is an alternate diagnosis causing the COVID-like symptoms. Patients presenting with symptoms of an upper respiratory illness, or ear, nose or throat infection, must provide clearance to return pursuant to options a or b above, and c will not be sufficient. Any unspecified diagnosis is presumed to be COVID-19 and the exclusion will continue. Clearance to return cannot be provided by a family member, can only be provided to clear an exclusion for symptoms and is not sufficient to clear an exclusion for exposure.

The early return is permissible under local guidance and any additional quarantine/isolation periods, or other return requirements required by their medical provider or imposed by the Department of Health have been met. 

All Clearances to return must be reviewed and approved by OBAP’s COVID Team. Early return requirements may change, from time to time, based on current conditions.

REPORTING SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED CASE IN HOUSEHOLD:

Notify us immediately if you become aware of any confirmed case of COVID-19 in your household occurring within 5 days prior to or 48 hours after any member of your household has been present at the academy.

LOCAL REQUIREMENTS: ADDITIONAL STATE, LOCAL, AND SITE REQUIREMENTS MAY APPLY. CONTACT CENTER ADMINISTRATION FOR DETAILS REGARDING APPLICABLE LOCAL REQUIREMENTS.

MASK/FACE COVERING POLICY

Students must comply with federal, state, and local policies and regulations regarding masks/face coverings.

To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, the use of a mask indoors, particularly in an area of substantial or high transmission is highly encouraged. At this time, OBAP strongly encourages but does not mandate the use of masks. As always, academies should follow their state and local guidance. During field trips or excursions, masks may be required by our partners. In these instances, the use of masks is required for all participating individuals.