COVID-19 Health and Safety

Guidance for School Year 2023-24

Table of Contents

Introduction 2

Everyday Prevention Strategies 2

Stay Up to Date on Vaccinations 2

Stay Home When Sick 2

Test 3

Cluster 4

Outbreak 4

Responding to COVID-19 4

Before a Case of COVID-19 Occurs 4

When Someone Is Sick at School/Work 5

When a COVID-19 Case is Reported 5

When There is a Cluster or Potential Outbreak 5

Resources 6

Summary of Recent Changes 7

Introduction

promote equity in both health and learning, particularly for groups disproportionately affected by

This guidance document is based on the DOH COVID-19 Guidance for K-12 Schools, aligned

with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Operational Guidance for K-12

Schools and Early Care and Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning and

applies to all Department school grades (pre-kindergarten to 12), offices and facilities. Each

location is different and not every strategy outlined in this guidance can be practically

implemented at all times. All guidance, including this document, is subject to change as new

information regarding COVID-19 becomes available.

Everyday Prevention Strategies

Although this guidance is specific to COVID-19, many of the prevention strategies help to

Staying up to date on routine vaccinations is essential to prevent illness from many different

infections. Schools can help increase vaccine uptake by providing information, promoting

staying up to date, and making it easy and convenient for students, staff and others to get

vaccinated.

Stay Home When Sick

People who do not feel well or have any symptoms of illness should stay home. If someone

comes to school/work with symptoms of illness or develops symptoms of illness at school/work,

they will be sent home or to a healthcare facility depending on symptom severity. Individuals

who test positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19 should follow the DOH Isolation

and Exposure Guidance for K-12 Schools.

someone with COVID-19, should follow the DOH Isolation and Exposure Guidance for K-12

Schools.

If COVID-19 testing is conducted at school, it must be in accordance with applicable rules and

regulations such as training, proper personal protective equipment, CLIA certificate or waiver

and reporting to the DOH. Consent is required for individuals aged 18 years and older or from a

Optimize Ventilation

Increase outdoor air intake and improve air filtration to reduce the risk of germs and

contaminants spreading through the air.

Hand Hygiene

Teach, reinforce, and practice proper handwashing to lower the risk of spreading viruses,

getting and spreading infectious diseases.

Clean

Clean at least once a day to remove any virus that may be on surfaces. See the CDC website

on Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility for more information.

Mask

Wearing a well-fitting mask consistently and correctly reduces the risk of spreading the virus that

causes COVID-19. Anyone who chooses to wear a mask should be supported in their decision

to do so.

Additional Mitigation Strategies

Increased mitigation strategies would be beneficial to prevent ongoing spread when there is a

probable COVID-19 and are within a specified core group in a 14-day period as long as those

cases do not have suspected exposure elsewhere (i.e., they are not close contacts of persons

more COVID-19-like symptoms and has been exposed to a person with COVID-19. A “core

group” includes, but is not limited to, a classroom, extracurricular activity, before or after school

care setting or bus ride. Identifying a cluster of people with COVID-19 does not necessarily

Outbreak

An outbreak is when the absentee rate related to confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases (i.e.

suspected illness) meets or exceeds:

● 10% of the entire school; or

● 20% of a grade or class.

If a school has a cluster of COVID-19 cases or a potential outbreak, the following additional

mitigation strategies should be considered to prevent ongoing spread:

● Universal or targeted (e.g., class or grade) indoor masking while the cluster or outbreak

is ongoing and for 10 full days after the last exposure. 

● Move activities, classes and meals outdoors when possible.

● Avoid crowding.  

● Maximize ventilation by bringing fresh outdoor air into a building or vehicle when

possible. See the CDC Ventilation in Schools and Childcare Programs for additional

Before a Case of COVID-19 Occurs

Review the DOH document When a Person at a K-12 School Has COVID-19.

● Establish a COVID-19 point of contact (POC) at your school/office. Provide the POC

telephone number and email address to the school community.

● Be familiar with the following protocols:

○ When someone is sick at school/work;

○ When a COVID-19 case is reported; and

○ When there is a cluster or potential outbreak.

○ Choose an area with good ventilation or outdoors.

○ Students must stay within the line of sight of an adult.

○ Have a waste receptacle in the area for used tissues and/or vomit.

○ Designate a bathroom.

● Provide the DOH Isolation and Exposure Guidance for K-12 Schools.

Staff caring for someone who is sick should wear an N95 respirator or double mask with a

surgical and tight-fitting cloth mask if a respirator is not available.

Take these steps when a COVID-19 case is reported at a school or office.

case or to the parent(s)/legal guardian(s), if the case is a student.

Step 2: If someone has tested positive for COVID-19 at school, report the case using the

Case Reporting Tool (CRT). See the COVID-19 CRT Frequently Asked Questions for more

information such as how to request a user account. Data from the CRT is used to generate the

public reports posted on the Department’s website as required by law. Probable cases (i.e., no

positive test result) and COVID-19 cases that have not impacted schools do not need to be

reported using the CRT unless they are associated with an outbreak.

suspected cluster of cases or outbreak using this template. Provide the DOH Isolation and

Exposure Guidance for K-12 Schools.

Step 2: Report the potential outbreak to DOH. Reporting of clusters to the DOH is not

required, but can be performed if technical assistance is desired. Schools are required to

report potential outbreaks of COVID-19 or influenza-like illness to the DOH. Use the online

Case Reporting Tool (CRT), call the Disease Reporting Line at 808-586-4586 (option 3) or email

Step 3: Implement additional mitigation strategies to prevent ongoing spread of COVID-19.

Keiki Heroes provides multilingual resources for young children.

If you have any questions regarding COVID-19 response procedures, please call the number for

your island listed below or email [email protected].

After Hours/Weekends/Holidays

Summary of Recent Changes

“Stay home when sick” applies more generally to when someone has symptoms of illness; not

Information about the types of COVID-19 tests has been deleted and there is a hyperlink for a

testing locator.

There is no mention of physical distancing (e.g., six feet) as a mitigation strategy.

Probable cases (i.e., no positive test result) and COVID-19 cases that have not impacted

schools do not need to be reported using the CRT unless they are associated with an outbreak.

parent(s)/legal guardian(s) of students. Positive cases are publicly reported online.

When there is a suspected cluster of cases or outbreak, schools must notify all impacted staff

and parent(s)/legal guardian(s) of students. A communications template is provided for this