Interim Guidance for Case Investigation and Contact Tracing in K-12 Schools | CDC

Interim Guidance for Case Investigation and Contact Tracing in K-12 Schools | CDC

CDC Announcements 

• The newly released Interim Guidance for Case Investigation and Contact Tracing in K-12 Schools aims to highlight potential collaboration between health officials and K-12 school administrators to facilitate effective case investigation and contact tracing for COVID-19. Prompt and coordinated actions, including case investigation and contact tracing, may inform decision-making about strengthening, focusing, and relaxing mitigation strategies.

• Monitoring and evaluation can help K-12 schools, colleges, and universities assess how their mitigation strategies are working and make timely decisions to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in their institutions. CDC’s COVID-19 website has tools that can help.

• Considerations for Monitoring and Evaluation of Mitigation Strategies Implemented in Institutes of Higher Education
• Considerations for Monitoring and Evaluation of Mitigation Strategies Implemented in K-12 Schools
• Checklist of Key Considerations When Planning for Monitoring and Evaluation of COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies Implemented in K-12 Schools

• CDC recently released a COVID-19 Parental Resources Kit to help support parents, caregivers, and other adults in identifying children and young people’s social, emotional, and mental health challenges and helping to ensure their well-being.

The resources kit has age-group specific web pages that provide a glance at some of the challenges faced by young children (0-5 years), children (6-12 years), adolescents (13-17 years), and young adults (18-24 years) during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as

• changes in their routines
• breaks in continuity of learning
• breaks in continuity of health care
• missed significant life events
• lost security and safety (including violence).

State Highlights

• Oregon Department of Education (ODE) released a series of PSAs in English and Spanish to reassure students and families as they begin the school year. These videos were in response to statewide survey data gathered in July from students, their families, and school staff about their greatest concerns as they return to school with distance learning. Additionally, they have been producing several lifestyle segments about school nutrition and health services for students and staying safe whether they are learning from home or back in their school building.

Non-Governmental Organizations Highlights

• October 22 is Lights On Afterschool —a project of the Afterschool Alliance. Launched in October 2000, Lights On Afterschool is the nationwide rally celebrating the importance of afterschool programs. Today, more than 8,000 Lights On Afterschool rallies are held every year across the country, drawing one million people to recognize and celebrate the impact these programs have on children, families, and communities