COVID-19 Guidance for Schools

• If your child develops COVID-19 symptoms, at any time, they are required to isolate. Refer to this chart for information on how long your child needs to isolate before they can return to school/child care.

School/Child Care Decision Tree — Sick at School      School/Child Care Decision Tree — Sick at Home

Fully vaccinated or under 12 years old – must isolate for 5 days from the date symptoms start AND until they do not have a fever and their symptoms have been improving for 24 hours (or 48 hours if gastrointestinal symptoms), whichever is longer in duration.

• If your child’s isolation period is 5 days, from days 6 to 10 after developing symptoms, they must:

• • Wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings
  • Not visit or attend any highest risk settings
  • Not visit anyone who may be at higher risk of illness (i.e.: seniors or people who are immunocompromised
  • Avoid activities where they need to take off their mask (i.e.: removing masks for sports, playing a wind instrument)

12 years of age and older and not fully vaccinated OR immune compromised – must isolate for 10 days from the date symptoms start AND until they do not have a fever and their symptoms have been improving for 24 hours (or 48 hours if gastrointestinal symptoms), whichever is longer in duration.

• In both cases, siblings and other household members do not need to self-isolate if any of the following apply to them:

• • They have previously tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days, and/or
  • They are 18 or older and have received a COVID-19 booster dose, and/or
  • They are 17 or younger and are fully vaccinated

• If none of the above apply to them, they must self-isolate for the same amount of time as the household member with symptoms

• Fully vaccinated or under 12 years of age — must isolate for 5 days from the date symptoms start AND until they do not have a fever and symptoms have been improving for 24 hours (or 48 hours if gastrointestinal symptoms), whichever is longer in duration.
  • If your child’s isolation period is 5 days, from days 6 to 10 after developing symptoms, they must:

• • Wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings
  • Not visit or attend any highest risk settings
  • Not visit anyone who may be at higher risk of illness (i.e.: seniors or people who are immunocompromised
  • Avoid activities where they need to take off their mask (i.e.: removing masks for sports, playing a wind instrument)

• 12 years of age and older and not fully vaccinated OR immune compromised — must isolate for at least 10 days from the date symptoms start AND until they do not have a fever and symptoms have been improving for 24 hours (or 48 hours if gastrointestinal symptoms), whichever is longer in duration.
• In both cases, siblings and other household members do not need to self-isolate if any of the following apply to them:

• • They have previously tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days, and/or
  • They are 18 or older and have received a COVID-19 booster dose, and/or
  • They are 17 or younger and are fully vaccinated

• If none of the above apply to them, they must self-isolate for the same amount of time as the child with symptoms

The day your child’s symptoms began or the day your child tested positive is day 0.

For example, if the Ontario School and Childcare Screening tells you your child needs to self-isolate for 5 days, count 5 days like this:

Your child can return to school on day 6 however, from days 6 to 10 after developing symptoms or testing positive, your child must:  

• • Wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings
  • Not visit or attend any highest risk settings
  • Not visit anyone who may be at higher risk of illness (i.e.: seniors or people who are immunocompromised
  • Avoid activities where they need to take off their mask (i.e.: removing masks for sports, playing a wind instrument)

If the Ontario School and Childcare Screening tells you your child needs to self-isolate for 10 days, count 10 days like this:

Your child can return to school on day 11 as long as they do not have a fever and symptoms have been improving for 24 (48 hours for nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea)

• Anyone who is sick or has any symptoms of illness, including those not listed in the Ontario school and child care screening tool, should stay home and seek an assessment from their health care provider if needed.
• They can return to school when symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours after nausea, vomiting or diarrhea).

It can be upsetting to hear that your child has been exposed to someone with symptoms or who has tested positive for COVID-19.

• If your child is identified as a close contact by someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or who has COVID-19 symptoms, for a total of 10 days after the last exposure to the person who tested positive/has symptoms they must:

• Self-monitor for symptoms and self-isolate if they develop any COVID-19 symptoms
• Wear a well-fitted mask in all public settings
• Not visit anyone who is immunocompromised or at higher risk of illness (i.e.: seniors)
• Not visit any highest risk settings

• One of the most important things you can do is to take the Ontario COVID-19 School and Childcare Screening daily, prior to leaving for school/child care, and follow the directions based on your results.  Monitor your child and keep them home if they develop ANY symptoms. Other measures, such as getting vaccinated (if eligible), wearing a well-fitted mask, washing hands frequently, and physical distancing from others, can also help to reduce the risk of COVID-19 for your child and others.

• For more information on how to choose, use, and care for a mask visit this Government of Canada resource “COVID-19: How to choose, use, and care for a mask”.

• Please follow the instructions provided in the testing kit.
• Students should use the test at home and with the help of a parent or caregiver if needed.
• Results are available within 15 minutes of completing a rapid antigen test.

• A positive result on a rapid antigen test is a good indication that you have COVID-19. It does not need to be confirmed by a PCR test.
• If your child tests positive for COVID-19, they must stay home and must isolate. See What to do if you test positive for COVID-19

• A single negative result on a rapid antigen test in an individual with COVID-19 symptoms does not rule out COVID-19.
• If your child tests negative on a rapid antigen test but has symptoms of COVID-19, they must stay home and self-isolate. Use another rapid antigen test 24 to 48 hours apart. If the result is negative on both tests, your child can then return to school when symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours after nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea).
  • Siblings and household members of the symptomatic child with two negative tests may also discontinue self-isolation as long as they do not have symptoms and have not had a positive test result themselves.

• If you do not have another rapid antigen test on hand, complete the Ontario Self-Assessment and follow the directions on what to do next.

• Most members of the general public, including school-aged children, are no longer eligible for publicly funded PCR testing. For a full list of eligibility, visit http://covid-19.ontario.ca/exposed
• Rapid antigen testing can be used to find out if your child’s symptoms are related to COVID-19. Positive rapid antigen test results do not need to be confirmed by PCR testing.