Thank you to everyone who has sent emails and pictures of students receiving their Covid vaccines. Keep them coming! You can still join the routine pooled testing if you are not already participating. We have seen the number of students participating increase each week. Please click here to complete the consent form.
As Covid cases rise in Massachusetts, we ask the Holy Name community to continue being extra cautious outside of school. Gather outdoors when possible. Wear face masks when intermingling indoors. Open windows to promote fresh air circulation. Avoid touching your face. Perform frequent hand hygiene. If someone in your home shows any signs and symptoms of illness, they should begin isolation immediately. Household members should stay home until the symptomatic individual receives negative Covid results. The rationale is, if a symptomatic person is to test positive for Covid, quarantine for household members begins as soon as possible. We do not want to bring Covid into school.
There has been some confusion regarding symptoms of Covid. My main goal is to keep our students and staff safe and healthy. If I refer you for PCR or molecular testing, please know I know what an inconvenience it is. However, there is a non zero chance these symptoms are not Covid related. Only a Covid test can rule out a Covid infection.
Here is the list of Covid symptoms as defined by the CDC, MA DPH, and DESE:
• Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• New loss of taste or smell
• Muscle aches or body aches
• Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)
• Sore throat when in combination with other symptoms
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea when in combination with other symptoms
• Headache when in combination with other symptoms
• Fatigue when in combination with other symptoms
• Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in combination with other symptoms
We have seen pediatric cases present seemingly mildly. Keep symptomatic and asymptomatic siblings home and consult with your pediatrician for further guidance before returning to school.
