- COVID-19 Updates + Alerts
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
UPDATED 12/7/2022
Decision-making Process
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How can I send feedback or ask questions?
- We welcome your questions and feedback at any time via APS Let’s Talk
- It can be accessed by clicking the “Contact Us” tab on the APS homepage at atlantapublicschools.us
- We will add to our FAQs based on your questions.
Surveillance Testing
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How can I enroll my student in APS Surveillance Testing?
- All students must have a consent form on file before participating in APS Surveillance Testing. Please use this link to enroll your student https://studentapp.viralsolutionsga.com/consent
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Why is it important for students to participate in surveillance testing?
- The benefits of surveillance testing include allowing APS to test, receive test results (within 24 hours), and notify individuals of a clinically significant reading before coming to school or work.
- This rapid test detects the presence of COVID-19 even in individuals who may be asymptomatic.
- Implementing comprehensive testing strategies is one way we continue to minimize any exposure to COVID-19 in our schools.
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What is required for students to participate in surveillance testing?
APS and Viral Solutions have designed the COVID Surveillance Testing Healthier Schools Program to help keep kids, families, and teachers safer from COVID outbreaks. The e-consent form is now available and only needs to be completed once to allow testing for the school year. Access the consent form here: http://tinyURL.com/HealthyAPS
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When and where is surveillance testing offered for APS students and employees?
Surveillance testing is offered on a weekly basis at our APS schools for APS students and employees.
Click here for the most up-to-date Surveillance Testing schedule: APS Fall 2022 COVID-19 Surveillance Testing Schedule
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Is surveillance testing required for students?
- While we do not require testing for students, we strongly encourage all parents to provide consent for their child or children to be tested.
- When students are tested, it helps everyone in our learning environment to be protected together.
- Students and staff can now complete their COVID-19 surveillance test consent form online at http://tinyURL.com/HealthyAPS
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Where can the rest of my family get a COVID-19 test?
- Viral Solutions partners with APS to operate a community PCR surveillance testing site at Frederick Douglass High School, located at 225 Hamilton E Holmes Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30318.
- This site offers a PCR COVID-19 test at no charge. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- No appointment is required. Staff, students, families of APS students, and community members may receive testing at this site.
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How often will students be tested?
- Testing is available on a weekly basis for all students with parental consent.
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Do APS students or employees need to participate in Surveillance Testing if they are up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines?
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Students: We strongly encourage APS students who are up-to-date on their vaccines to participate in Surveillance Testing.
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However, if they choose not to participate, they will not need to stay at home after an exposure as long as they remain without symptoms and continue to wear their mask.
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Employees: Currently, APS employees are required to participate in surveillance testing at least once per week, regardless of vaccination status. Individuals who recently recovered from a COVID-19 infection in the past 90 days generally do not need to participate in APS Surveillance Testing. Please refer to the question above for more guidance if you had a recent exposure or have developed symptoms.
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Do APS students or employees need to participate in testing if they previously tested positive for COVID-19 and are still within 90 days?
Individuals who previously tested positive for COVID-19 and are still within 90 days should not get retested, UNLESS
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It’s been 30 days or less and they have symptoms → use a rapid antigen test
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It’s been 31 – 90 days
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and they have symptoms → use a rapid antigen test
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OR have no symptoms but were recently exposed to COVID-19 → use a rapid antigen test 5 days after the last day of exposure
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Please submit an APS Self-Report for your student if they tested positive for COVID-19 so that we can have this on file: http://tinyAPS.com/?CovidStudentForm
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If you are an APS employee, please submit an APS Self-Report to report your positive COVID-19 test: http://tinyaps.com/?CovidStaffForm
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After an exposure, APS students and employees should monitor for symptoms for 10 full days after exposure and wear a mask for the 10 full days after exposure.
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What should APS students or employees do if they develop symptoms during their quarantine period?
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They will need to stay home and isolate until their symptoms resolve or they meet their isolation period (depending on their situation).
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Please follow DPH guidance under - What should I do if I am a close contact to someone with COVID-19 and get sick? https://dph.georgia.gov/contact
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How is APS’s Testing Program funded?
- APS is enrolled in the Georgia’s ELC Reopening Schools program. This program is designed to support safe, in-person instruction in kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools.
- The program is funded through a grant from the CDC and administered by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) to provide free COVID-19 testing to K-12 schools.
- For more information, please visit: https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-k12-testing
Quarantining
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Does my student need to quarantine (stay home) if recently exposed to someone with COVID-19?
- Students exposed to a COVID-19 case no longer need to quarantine if they remain without symptoms.
- If they develop symptoms after exposure, they should stay home and follow isolation guidelines.
- Please reference our Case Isolation + Close Contact Guidelines for more information.
What Counts as Close Contact?
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Close Contact
Close Contact through Proximity and Duration of Exposure: Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person (laboratory-confirmed or a clinically compatible illness) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes).
An infected person can spread SARS-CoV-2 starting from 2 days before they have any symptoms (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days before the positive specimen collection date), until they meet criteria for discontinuing home isolation.
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How will contact tracing be handled?
- Case investigation and case management will be conducted by the assigned school or district nurse in collaboration with Health Services and Fulton County Board of Health. Contact tracing will no longer be conducted for each case; however, investigators will continue to monitor for any additional cases (or symptomatic individuals).
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Will I be notified if my student was in a class or school activity where a positive COVID-19 case was identified?
- Parents will receive a notification letter from the school indicating that a positive COVID-19 case was identified in their student’s class. This letter does not mean your student was a close contact. Students notified of an exposure do not need to stay home if they remain without symptoms.
- If a cluster of COVID-19 cases is identified, the school will communicate additional prevention strategies to the parents. This may include recommendations for masking, COVID-19 testing, or pausing certain school activities to prevent additional transmission.
COVID-19 Clusters and Positive Cases
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Add this question: What is a COVID-19 cluster? What happens if a COVID-19 cluster is identified?
According to DPH, “A COVID-19 cluster is defined as 4 or more students or staff (at least 1 must be positive via viral test) with symptom onset or specimen collection dates within a 7-day period who do not share a household, do not have another more likely source of exposure, and are epidemiologically linked in the school setting or school-sanctioned extracurricular activity”.
If a cluster is confirmed, APS will work with local public health officials to identify additional prevention strategies. This may include recommending masking in the classroom or school-related activities, recommending COVID-19 testing, or temporarily pausing school activities to give ample time for cleaning.
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If a student or teacher tests positive for COVID-19 but is asymptomatic, can he/she still report to school?
No, they cannot attend in-person instruction or work. They should be isolated per CDC guidelines.
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What is the time frame for reporting exposures to parents?
- Once a case has been identified, parents are contacted within the same day if possible (not to exceed a period of 24 hours) to inform them of potential exposures.
- Written communication is sent per our procedures for notification that include the date of exposure and public health resources.
- If a cluster of COVID-19 cases is identified, the school will communicate additional prevention strategies to the parents via written communication.
Vaccinations
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What are the benefits to being fully vaccinated for students and staff in school?
- COVID 19-vaccines are effective. They decrease the chances of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19. Getting vaccinated yourself may also protect people around you, particularly people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
- Fully vaccinated students may remain in school and staff may remain at work to avoid interruptions to in-person education or workflow, even if they are exposed to someone with COVID-19, so long as they remain without symptoms.
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How can I find out about other vaccination locations?
For hours and locations for vaccination sites and mobile units, or to download the parent consent form for minor patients, visit www.fultoncountyga.gov/covidvaccine.
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How are positive cases or exposures reported?
- Individuals who test positive for COVID OR who are exposed to a confirmed case should complete one of the links below for self-reporting:
- Student self-report form: http://tinyAPS.com/?CovidStudentForm
- Staff self-report form: http://tinyAPS.com/?CovidStaffForm
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Who will be responsible for tracking/tracing COVID cases?
- COVID Cases are tracked through collaborative efforts with School Nurses, Health Services, and Data Information Group to collect and report data.
- COVID-19 related questions or concerns should be emailed to: Covidreports@atlanta.k12.ga.us
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How will contact tracing be handled?
Case investigation and case management will be conducted by the assigned school or district nurse in collaboration with Health Services and Fulton County Board of Health who conduct actual contact tracing.
Testing
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When should testing occur after exposure?
- People who have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19 and remain without symptoms should test 5 full days after last exposure.
- People who develop symptoms after an exposure should be tested immediately.
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Where are COVID-19 testing sites?
- APS offers surveillance testing throughout the district at school locations and district offices.
- COVID-19 tests are offered at private health care providers.
- COVID-19 tests are available at Specimen Points of Collection sites in collaboration with the Department of Public Health. An appointment can be made through the DPH website at https://dph.georgia.gov/covidtesting
Instructional Plans
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What happens if an entire class is quarantined due to COVID cases or exposures including the teacher?
A long-term substitute or building-level designee will be assigned to deliver instruction virtually.
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What happens if one or more students test positive for COVID (unrelated cases)?
- Teachers will place current academic work in an electronic repository (Google Classroom) and a teacher/tutor will provide after school tutoring for students absent during the quarantine period. Designated virtual teachers/tutors and number of tutorial sessions will be determined by school-level administration based on need.
- A virtual learning tutorial schedule will be developed by the school and implemented over the course of the quarantine period.
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What happens if a teacher tests positive for COVID and there is no evidence of student exposure?
- A long-term substitute or building-level designee will be assigned to the teacher’s classroom.
- Current substitute teacher plans will be used during the quarantine period for students affected.
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What happens in the event of a whole school or district closure due to a COVID outbreak?
The entire school will pivot to virtual learning.
Additional COVID Mitigation Strategies
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What guidelines does APS have for people who are traveling?
APS encourages all students, families, and employees to continue to review and follow the most recent travel guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control (Domestic Travel During COVID-19 | CDC).
Staff-specific Topics
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How can I get Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for my school?
All schools received a shipment of PPE in mid-November. We are not aware of any PPE shortages at any school currently. We have instructed principals that, if they have an immediate need for additional PPE, they should order supplies using the normal in-school ordering process. Teachers should receive PPE from their school and should not have need to include these supplies on Donors Choose and classroom wish lists.