COVID FAQs From Parents of School Age Children

Last updated November 22, 2021 at 10:30 am

Sources: CDC Parents and Caregivers-What is Your School Doing to Protect Your Child from COVID-19, WI DHS Guidelines for the Prevention, Investigation, and Control of COVID-19 Outbreaks in K-12 Schools in Wisconsin

We've been receiving lots of questions from parents regarding the return to school this fall. Here are answers to the most common questions. If you have a question that isn't answered below, please email it to covid19@saukcountywi.gov. Thank you!
I Have Questions About:

Masks
COVID-19 Testing
What is Isolation and Quarantine?
My Child is a Close Contact to Someone with COVID-19
My Child has COVID-19 Symptoms and/or has tested positive for COVID-19
Someone in my Household has COVID-19
Children/Families at Higher Risk for Severe COVID-19
Community Transmission
Vaccines
Sports and Activities
Other Questions

Masks:

Do masks work?

Yes, masks work. They limit the spread of germs from one person to another by blocking potential virus particles from entering the air. They also help protect the person wearing the mask because the mask can help block that person from breathing in potential virus particles in the air. For masks to work best, students, teachers, and staff need to wear a well-fitting mask consistently and correctly. Consistent and correct mask use is especially important indoors and in crowded settings when physical distancing is difficult. CDC recommends all schools require universal masking.

Should my child wear a mask to school if the school has made it optional?

Yes, masking indoors is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It is highly recommended that students wear masks while inside school environments. Schools are not able to prevent your child from wearing a mask to protect him or herself even if mask-wearing is optional.

Does wearing a mask for a long time pose any risks to my child?

No, wearing a mask does not increase risk from germs or bacteria, and does not increase carbon dioxide levels for children. It is important to store your child’s mask properly and wash it regularly to keep it clean. Consider having your child bring more than one mask to school to easily replace a dirty or wet mask with a clean one.

Does my child need to wear their mask on the school bus?

Yes, CDC issued an order on January 29, 2021, requiring masks on public transportation. CDC’s Order applies to all public transportation, including school buses. Students and drivers must wear a mask on school buses, including on buses operated by public and private school systems, subject to the exclusions and exemptions in CDC’s Order. Learn more here.

What should I ask my school if they are saying masks are optional?

Ask your school:
- What prevention strategies are you using to reduce risk of spreading COVID-19? And how are you prepared to prevent or respond to an outbreak? Other prevention strategies include ventilation, distancing, hand hygiene, screening testing, and contact tracing, to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
- What are you doing to maintain physical distance between students, educators, and staff in the classroom? In situations when unmasking is essential, such as lunch time, there should be at least 6 feet of distance between all students, educators, and staff.
- What are you doing to improve ventilation throughout the building? This should include bringing outdoor air into the building, enhancing ventilation systems, and using HEPA filters.
- Are you using outdoor spaces for learning and mealtime? An outdoor space may allow for more distancing. Generally, masks don’t need to be worn outside as long as students are not in crowded settings.

COVID-19 Testing

Will testing for COVID-19 cause my child pain?

No, it will not. Acceptable ways to test for COVID-19 have expanded since the beginning of the pandemic. Most tests use a simple nasal swab, which goes inside the lower nostril like picking your nose, and others use saliva taken from the mouth.
Click here to find a Free Sauk County COVID-19 Testing Site

How long will it take to get my child’s test results?

It depends on the type of test. The viral tests administered at free Sauk County Testing Sites generally take 48-72 hours to get results.

What is Isolation and Quarantine?

What is the difference between quarantine and isolation?

Your child needs to quarantine when they might have been exposed (a close contact) to someone with COVID-19. This is because they might become infected with COVID-19 and could spread COVID-19 to others.
- Sauk County Public Health recommends that close contacts follow CDC Guidance and quarantining for 14 days after the last date of exposure.
- Household Close Contacts will need to quarantine longer than the positive person in their household, as their 14 day quarantine begins the day after the positive person is released from isolation.
Your child needs to isolate when they are infected with COVID-19 and have tested positive, even if they don’t have symptoms. Isolation is used to separate people infected with COVID-19 from those who are not infected.
- Sauk County Public Health recommends that people with COVID-19 remain in isolation for 10 days after the date they first had symptoms (or date tested positive if no symptoms) and they have been at least 24 hours fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications and other symptoms have improved.

My Child is a Close Contact

What does it mean if my child is identified by the school as a “close contact”?

This means your child was exposed to someone with COVID-19. And when your child is identified as a close contact, your child needs to follow testing and quarantine guidance. Quarantine is a very important public health tool used to stop many kinds of infectious diseases from spreading.

My child was identified as a close contact and is NOT fully vaccinated – what should I do?

Your child should quarantine. CDC recommends a 14-day quarantine for unvaccinated close contacts before returning to normal activities, including in-person school and school activities. This is because your child can become infected with COVID-19 but may not develop the infection for up to 14 days. In fact, some data show that a person may spread COVID-19 before they show symptoms or even without symptoms.
- Your child should get tested 5-7 days after exposure.
If your child develops symptoms at any point during quarantine, they need to get tested and isolate immediately. Be sure to notify your school if this happens and reach out to your healthcare provider.

My child was identified as a close contact and is fully vaccinated or has recovered from COVID-19 within the past 3 months from testing positive – what should I do?

You should follow guidance for fully vaccinated close contacts. CDC recommends that fully vaccinated people get tested after being exposed, monitor for any symptoms, and wear a mask when around other people for 14 days or until they get a negative test result.
If your vaccinated child develops symptoms at any point, they need to get tested and isolate immediately – be sure to notify your school if this happens and reach out to your healthcare provider.

My school is allowing students who were identified as close contacts to come into school – is this safe?

CDC does not have enough evidence at this time to support this approach (sometimes called “modified quarantine”). CDC continues to make recommendations based on what evidence shows is most effective at preventing transmission.
CDC and Sauk County Public Health does not recommend that close contacts are allowed to be inside the school. If your school is allowing close contacts to be inside the school, it is even more critically important that they use layered prevention strategies like vaccination, masking, ventilation, physical distancing, and testing.
A close contact attending school should not hang out with friends in-person or play sports during quarantine, and they should always wear a mask in public indoor settings, including school.

My Child has COVID Symptoms or Tested Positive

Should my child stay home if they show COVID-19 signs or symptoms?

Yes, they should stay home. They should also get tested for COVID-19. It is very important that your child not attend in-person school when they have signs and symptoms. Ask your school about remote learning options during quarantine and isolation. With symptoms, your child should also not gather in public places, play sports, participate in extracurricular activities, or socialize in-person with people who do not live in your household. This is also true if your child is showing any symptoms of other respiratory illnesses, such as the flu.
Getting tested for COVID-19 when you notice these types of signs and symptoms will also help with rapid contact tracing and prevent possible spread at school. If your child tests positive, they should still stay home and away from others for 10 days following the date that their symptoms started. This is because people can spread COVID-19 for a full 10 days from when they develop symptoms, even if they are feeling better.
COVID Symptoms: Do NOT send your child to school if they have
- ONE of these symptoms*:
  - New Cough
  - Shortness of Breath or Difficulty Breathing
  - Loss of Taste/Smell
- Or TWO of these symptoms*:
  - Fever or Chills
  - Nausea or Vomiting
  - Congestion or Runny Nose
  - Body or Muscle Aches
  - Sore Throat
  - Fatigue
  - Headache
  - Diarrhea
- *These symptom criteria apply to COVID-19 related exclusions for in-person instruction. Other symptoms may also require exclusion for a different communicable disease.

What should I do if my child has symptoms at school?

You need to pick up your child as soon as possible and arrange for a COVID-19 test. It is very important that your child not attend in-person school when they have signs and symptoms.

What should I do if my child tests positive for COVID-19?

Contact your school to allow for contact tracing. Make sure to isolate your child immediately and follow steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your household. This means your child should not go to school, socialize, or participate in any extracurricular activities, and you need to follow isolation guidance. Ask your school about virtual learning options and about their current policies for when your child can return to school.

Someone in My Household Has COVID-19

If I test positive for COVID-19, can my child still go to school?

If you or anyone in your household tests positive, and your child is not fully vaccinated, your child should follow quarantine guidance and not attend school.
If your child also tests positive, they should not go to school, even if they are not showing symptoms. They should follow isolation guidance.
Ask your school about virtual learning options during this time and for instructions on when your child can return to school.

If one of my children test positive for COVID-19, can their siblings still go to school?

Your other children should follow quarantine guidance and not attend school.
If your other children are fully vaccinated, they do not need to quarantine, however, they should get tested, monitor for symptoms, and wear a mask indoors in public.
Your other children may need to quarantine longer than the child that tested positive.
If your other child(ren) also tests positive, they should not go to school, even if they are not showing symptoms. They should follow isolation guidance.
Ask your school about virtual learning options during this time.

Children/Families at Higher Risk for Severe COVID-19

My child is immunocompromised – what can the school do to help keep my child safe?

Schools can layer prevention strategies, such as requiring masks, promoting vaccination, improving ventilation, and physical distancing. If the school is not using layered strategies, ask about virtual learning options available to protect your child who has increased risk.

What if someone else in our household is at high risk for COVID-19 – is it safe for my child to go to school?

It depends – your child is safest when your school is using masking with layered prevention strategies and if you are able to also use layered prevention strategies at home. One way to help protect everyone is to make sure that all adults and eligible youth in a household are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Learn more about other strategies you can use if both vaccinated and unvaccinated people are living together in your household

If my child has special needs, is there anything else the school can do for us?

Yes, administrators are required to work with your child and your family to understand your child’s needs, provide access to required services, and adjust strategies as needed. For example, physical distancing and wearing masks may be difficult for some people with certain disabilities. Educators and staff might be able to wear a clear or cloth mask with a clear panel when interacting with younger children, children learning to read, or when interacting with people who rely on reading lips.

Community Transmission

What is community transmission and why is it so important?

Community transmission, also known as community spread, means virus is spreading and infecting people. You can check the COVID Data Tracker to determine the level of community transmission in your area.
When there is a lot of community spread, more people are getting COVID-19. Some of these people have and might become seriously ill, be hospitalized with COVID-19, and some will die. Vaccination has been proven to reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. For children who are not eligible for vaccination, using layered prevention strategies at school and out in the community is critical to help protect them from COVID-19 especially when there are high levels of community transmission.
The more cases there are in the community, the higher the chance that a student, educator, or staff member will come to school with COVID-19. We learned this from the 2020-2021 school year, and this is why using all layered prevention strategies is critical. With greater community spread, we are likely to see more infected people show up at school because infected students, educators, and staff may not know they are infected.
Actions in the community will impact the school, especially in schools that do not use layered prevention strategies or do not have many people vaccinated. Activities are safer when those who are eligible are vaccinated. If people don’t follow prevention strategies in the community, cases will increase and so will the risk of cases in your school. More cases in school can disrupt in-person learning, sports, and extracurricular activities for your child.

How can I find out the level of community transmission where my school is located?

WI DHS has updated maps that display Community Transmission by School District.
- Select "School District", then zoom in to find your child's school district.
Check the COVID Data Tracker to determine the level of community transmission in your area: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view.

Vaccines

Why is it important for me and my child to get vaccinated for COVID-19?

Vaccination is currently the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Promoting vaccination can help schools safely return to in-person learning as well as extracurricular activities and sports.
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing severe illness and death from COVID-19. CDC monitors for any health problems that happen after vaccination. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is one of the best ways to slow the spread of COVID-19. Many schools serve children who are not currently eligible for vaccination, so K-12 school administrators must use other prevention strategies to prevent COVID-19 from spreading. Examples of these strategies include masks and improving ventilation, along with vaccination of teachers and staff.
The known and potential benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks. There have been very limited reports of rare conditions including myocarditis or pericarditis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). Risk of severe illness is still much greater for people who are not vaccinated against COVID-19.
No evidence shows that COVID-19 vaccination causes fertility problems. COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people aged 5 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. If you have concerns about COVID-19 vaccination, talk with your child’s doctor, your doctor, nurse, or clinic.
Individuals with general COVID-19 vaccine questions, including finding a local vaccinator and answering medical questions, can call the Wisconsin COVID-19 Vaccine Assistance Hotline at 844-684-1064 (toll-free) for personal assistance with their vaccine-related questions.
Click here to find a FREE Sauk County Vaccination Site

Sports and Activities

Can my child safely participate in extracurricular activities and sports?

It depends – extracurricular activities that involve heavier breathing will be higher risk without masks, without ventilation, and without physical distancing. Masks should be worn to the extent possible during indoor sports and other activities that meet indoors, such as band, choir, theater, and school clubs. Your child should get vaccinated as soon as eligible and should not participate in sports or activities if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Your child should also wear a mask outdoors if participating in high contact or crowded activities. CDC recommends that schools cancel sports and unmasked extracurricular activities or make them fully virtual if your school is an area of high community transmission.
Your child’s safety depends on whether the school uses layered prevention strategies and whether the school has clear rules for students who have COVID-19 or have been exposed. This is especially important during activities where heavier breathing occurs. It is safest to participate in these types of activities when everyone is fully vaccinated. Schools can have a “test to play” or vaccination requirement for participating to keep your child safe. Physical distancing should be used at sporting events (such as fields, benches/team areas, locker rooms, spectator viewing areas, spectator facilities/restrooms) along with signage about wearing masks for all guests to see.

Can my child participate in recess and physical education?

Yes, these active times during the school day help children learn and achieve as well as support their social, emotional, and mental health. Being outside is better than indoors, but when physical education and recess are held indoors, it is important to have good ventilation and for everyone to wear masks and maximize distance as much as possible. Ask your school about their ventilation, mask, and distancing policies during recess and physical education to stay informed about the risk to your child. In general, students, educators, and staff do not need to wear masks when participating in recess and physical education outdoors, unless they are going to be doing high contact or crowded activities.

Is it ok for my child to use the playground?

Yes, more is known about how long the virus stays on surfaces compared with last year. Kids can safely use playground equipment with just daily cleaning. Students, educators, and staff should wash their hands before and after use of any playground equipment. Cleaning and disinfection between every use of playground and physical education equipment is not needed.

Can my child share objects (such as art supplies, sports equipment) with other students?

Yes, but your child should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before, during, and after use of any shared materials. Cleaning and disinfection between every use of art supplies, sports equipment, music sheets, etc. is not needed.
Keeping hands clean and regularly cleaning surfaces helps prevent a variety of diseases and infections. Handwashing stations are recommended for students, educators, and staff to access whenever they may need to remove their mask, while sharing objects, after any coughing or sneezing, before and after eating, and after using the restroom.