Wednesday, July 28, 2021
COVID TALK
Hello Ash Fork Schools, let’s talk COVID. All data and recommendations are from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Arizona department of Health Services (AzDHS) or Yavapai County Community Health Services (YCCHS).
As we continue to experience an outbreak through our school and community it is important to first recognize the signs and symptoms of disease. They may include any of the following- either on their own or in combination with each other.
**YCCHS considers an outbreak as multiple positive test results from a localized area.
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
*these are as reported by the CDC
Now what if you suspect you or someone in your home has COVID? First and most importantly if you suspect a life threatening emergency i.e. trouble breathing, the symptomatic person is turning blue/pale and or they are having a hard time communicating CALL 911! Next, isolate yourself/minor so not to expose anyone else. Use masks, perform diligent hand hygiene, and sanitize any area where the suspected person may have touched or contaminated. CDC highly recommends getting any suspected person(s) tested for the COVID virus. See attached list of free testing site available to you. Please notify the school with results, we have been working very closely with the county on reporting and disease tracing. This helps us to identify others who may need to be tested/isolated and to slow the spread. It also helps us with guidelines for when it is or isn’t safe to attend school.
If you do not get tested but suspect you’re positive or you’ve had direct exposure to someone who is positive with COVID- the CDC recommends a 10 day isolation period. This starts the day you first experienced signs or symptoms of the disease, or after exposure occurs. By the 10th day the signs or symptoms of disease must be improving and no fever has been present x24 hours without use of fever reducing medication.
Please feel free to reach out with questions and concerns. As always thank you for your flexibility and understanding as we navigate these difficult situations and decisions. My goal is to partner together to keep our students, staff and community safe so we can all be together again and have a great year!
Randi Campbell
School Nurse
Ash Fork Schools
928-637-2561 ext 3136
Return From Isolation Guidance
FREE TESTING SITES ARE AVAILABLE!
Alchemy Apothecary- Daniel Knight MSN, MSHM, FNP-BC
112 W Park Ave, Ash Fork, AZ 86320
Phone 855-277-5901 Fax 949-577-4681
** Please call to schedule your appointment
Walgreen Pharmacy:
Free testing is provided and may be done so on a walk in or appointment basis. Please call and check in with the pharmacy near you. Appointments can be made ONLINE.
Safeway Pharmacy:
Free testing is provided and may be done so on a walk in or appointment basis. Please call and check in with the pharmacy near you.
*** The school has a limited supply of rapid COVID test kits. These may only be used if a student/staff member currently has symptoms of COVID. These test are only effective if a person has a high viral load of the disease and should not be used as a screening tool. Please call the school nurse with questions or if you think this would be appropriate for you and an appointment can be made.
928-637-2561 extension 3136