CSGK Health Committee Kathryn Redinger, MD Tony Van Es, MD Stacy Majoras, DO Kelly Rider Amy Preston
Community Committee Members Kathryn Redinger, MD FACEP Dr. Redinger grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana and graduated from the University of Notre Dame. She attended Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and completed her emergency medicine residency at Western Michigan University here in Kalamazoo. She is board certified in emergency medicine and is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. She practices at Ascension Borgess Medical Center and Woodbridge Immediate Care and is an Assistant Professor at WMED. She has 5 children, 4 at St Monica. Anthony Van Es MD FAAP Dr. Van Es grew up in South Bend, Indiana and graduated from the University of Notre Dame. He attended Indiana University School of Medicine and completed his pediatric residency at Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis. He is board certified in pediatrics and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He joined Trestlewood Pediatrics in 2000. A father of 3 daughters, he is a member and parent at St. Augustine. Stacy Majoras, DO Dr. Majoras was born and raised in Auburn, Indiana and graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Athletic Training. She earned her medical degree from Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, and completed her family medicine residency at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in South Bend, IN. She then completed a fellowship in Sports Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. Currently, she is a board certified family medicine physician with a CAQ in sports medicine and works at Bronson Sports Medicine. She is a team physician for Western Michigan University athletics, Kalamazoo Wings Hockey Club, and various local high schools. She now resides in Vicksburg with her husband and 4 children, 3 at St. Monica’s.
Committee Goals 1. Assess the latest medical guidelines and testing capabilities 2. Define on-site health screening approach and define PPE usage 3. Define physical distancing guidance, hygiene behavior, guidelines for at-risk faculty/staff/students 4. Monitor guidelines and procedures established by committees 5. Evaluate and recommend guidelines for the return of students to in-person learning after an illness. Recommendations for asymptomatic students and staff after exposure to confirmed COVID-19 patient. Recommendations for teachers and staff for return to school after confirmed COVID-19 illness. 6. Evaluate and recommend guidelines for vaccination in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church
” With the worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus, we are confronted once more with the fragility of our lives, and again we are reminded of our common humanity; that the peoples of this world are our brothers and sisters, that we are all one family under God - Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles
Where do we stand? How bad is this really? What is the risk to the students? What is the risk to staff?
Data for Kalamazoo County and State of michigan as of 07/08/2020 https://www.michigan.gov/Coronavirus
Our students Our teachers and staff Cases and deaths nationally broken down by age group https://www.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/index.html#demographics
What Can parents do? Knowing the health risks posed by the coronavirus disease, as well as what we can do to protect ourselves, is the best way to mitigate the spread and reduce the amount of further cases This is going to be difficult work and will require sacrifices. This is a CULTURE CHANGE. We must instill new habits, some temporary, some permanent, but with the goal to allow our students to maximize time in a safe in-person learning environment all the while protecting their wellbeing, the wellbeing of their classmates and the teachers and staff at our schools. Parents must take this seriously and agree to the proposed rules, because these strategies will only be successful if we do so as a full community working together.
What are the Health Care professionals saying about going back? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school. The importance of in person learning is well-documented, and there is already ● evidence of the negative impacts on children because of school closures in the spring of 2020. https://services.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/clinical-guidance/covid-19-planning-considerations-return-to-in-person-education-in-schools/
SCREENING / VIsitors 1. Each family is asked to perform temperature screenings and symptom checks of their children each morning prior to coming to school. a. Students and staff with fever (38 C or 100.4 F or higher) or symptoms of illness are required to stay at home. b. Any student or staff who is found to have symptoms of illness or fever (38C or 100.4F) will be moved to a designated area of the building. Parents will need to arrange for the child to be brought home immediately. 2. Non-essential visitors and guests will not be permitted to enter the school buildings during times of moderate to severe community spread of COVID-19. Any essential parents/visitors/guests entering the building, will be formally screened with a temperature check and questionnaire prior to entry at the main office door. 3. If the school notices a substantial increase in the number of students or staff missing school due to illness, this will be reported to the local health officials.
HOW do YOU get COVID-19? A person can contract COVID-19 if: They come in contact with another person infected with the virus ● Someone infected coughs or sneezes directly to them ● They touch any surface with little droplets from infected people’s cough or ● sneezes and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth
Why Masks? Why 6 feet? Masks stop the spread of large respiratory droplets that carry high loads of virus
Mask Frequently Asked Questions Will masks be required? Yes. While in Phase 4, CSGK will be using masks as required by the State of Michigan. All the time for staff, and students grade 6-12 and for all students during transitions in the hallway or public spaces. Masks are recommended, but not required for EC- grade 5. What if my family refuses? Are there exemptions? The medical exemption to wearing a mask is limited to symptomatic individuals with active breathing problems, these individuals would be considered too high risk to be in school to begin with. Simply having a history of asthma would not exempt you from wearing a mask. It is exactly the asthmatics we are trying to protect! How often do they need to be changed? Laundered Daily or if as needed if it becomes soiled or wet Will the kids get breaks? While inside the building, the required recommendations of the state will be adhered to. There will be attempts to maximize outdoor time, and we have also discussed strategies to help maintain compliance with using the masks for children who are not wanting to keep them on. If the kids are such low risk for spreading COVID-19, why do we still have even the little ones wear one at all? Because COVID-19 will be clinically indistinguishable from the other 900 respiratory viral illnesses in children, masks are still our best preventative strategy at reducing the spread of other illness. This will ultimately reduce the absenteeism, which we anticipate will be high this year as students and staff will not be permitted if symptomatic with fever, shortness of breath or cough.
PROTECTION TIPS Maintain social distancing Keep objects and surfaces clean Wash your hands frequently Don’t touch eyes, nose or mouth
WE MUST each DO OUR part
Returning to School after illness When must my child stay home? When can my student come back?
Symptomatic and COVID-19 Positive 1. At least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and 2. At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. All close contacts of the student/staff will be notified and asked to quarantine for 14 days from the time of their exposure to the confirmed positive person.
ASymptomatic and COVID-19 Positive At least 10 days have passed since the date of their first positive COVID-19 diagnostic test assuming they have not subsequently developed symptoms since their positive test. If they develop symptoms during this time frame, then the symptom-based strategy should be used ● At least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and, ● At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. All close contacts of the student/staff will be notified and asked to quarantine for 14 days from the time of their exposure to the confirmed positive person.
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