PUSD's Safety Plan Highlights
While an estimated 96% of PUSD employees have been vaccinated, all PUSD staff must either show proof of full vaccination or be tested at least once per week for COVID-19. Like all schools in California, PUSD must be in full compliance by October 15. Here are some highlights from PUSD’s Safety Plan which aligns with the City of Pasadena Dept. of Health recommendations. Your school also has its own Safety Plan, so if you have questions or concerns about protocols or implementation at your school site, we recommend that you contact your teacher and principal first.
Employees:
Per the August 12 new public health order, effective immediately, all unvaccinated employees must take a weekly COVID-19 test. Tests will be available at school sites and at the PUSD Primary Health Clinic.
Students:
To strengthen safety measures for students, PUSD has developed a risk-based approach to testing students in grades 6 - 12. This strategy was developed in consultation with Pasadena Public Health Department:
● A risk-based sample of students in grades 6 - 12 will be offered a COVID-19 PCR test (with informed parents/guardians consent).
● Unvaccinated student-athletes, band members, and ROTC will be required to take weekly tests, with informed parent/guardian consent. A negative test result is required to participate. This strategy captures students most at-risk of transmission because of the activities involved such as physical exertion and proximity of individuals.
● Get Tested! We strongly encourage all students not yet eligible for vaccination to get tested. PUSD is providing incentives for students to get tested. These include gift cards, water bottles, stickers, and drawings for gift baskets for the family.
If you are asymptomatic and fully vaccinated, and have been identified as a close contact to someone who has tested positive, you are recommended to test for COVID-19 three to five days after the exposure but are not required to quarantine (PPHD Exposure Management Plan). Fully vaccinated is defined as 2 weeks have passed since a single dose vaccine or since your second dose in a 2-dose vaccine series.
Quarantine if you are unvaccinated and came into close contact (within 6 feet for a cumulative 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, regardless of whether a mask was worn) with someone with confirmed COVID-19 within the past 10 days,. They must maintain quarantine at home for 10 days, regardless of any interim test results.
In cases where an entire class has close contact exposure to a positive COVID-19 case (see Health Protocols and Exposure Management Plan), students will quarantine at home and classes will be conducted virtually by teacher if not symptomatic, or by substitute teacher if they are.
If a determination includes school closure, a temporary “distance learning” mode will be activated for the school site. This includes conferencing and the use of Canvas LMS.
PUSD offers COVID-19 PCR oral or nasal swab tests on campuses and at the District’s Primary Clinic, 8 a.m. - 3:30 pm. By appointment, please call (626) 396-3600, ext 88180. Register for testing at
https://home.color.com/covid/sign-up/start?partner=cdph094