For the most up-to-date information on local county schools and COVID-19, visit the Marin County Office of Education webpage and our Schools page and check out the School Status Dashboard for the most-up-to-date information on positive cases of COVID-19 in schools across the county.
Cold, influenza and COVID-19 symptoms can be similar. Regardless, keeping the child home that is showing symptoms is a good way to reduce the spread of colds and flu within schools.
As for others in your household, if your child is showing symptoms, it is important to evaluate your child’s symptoms and possible exposures to COVID-19 when deciding whether other children in your household should stay home. Marin Public Health has developed the following decision trees to guide parents:
- COVID-19 Safety Decision Tree for Schools - 2021-22 School Year (Vaccinated) (UNvaccinated)
- Decision Tree for COVID-19 Symptoms (in all settings)
- Decision Tree for Exposures to COVID-19 in Child Care, Youth Activities, and Households/Communities (not TK-12 schools)
For more information, visit our Schools page or MCOE's Rethinking Schools website.
If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, the following things should occur:
- Information is reported to school administration.
- The person either stays home or will be sent home to isolate per Public Health Guidance.
- Families and household members of the student/staff are quarantined and should pursue testing through their health care provider, local community clinic, or Marin Public Health.
- Student families and Staff of the affected cohort are notified by either a phone call or letter.
- The respective student/staff member’s classroom is closed for 14 days from the last known exposure. However, the rest of the school remains OPEN.
For more detailed information, visit https://bit.ly/ExposureProtocols and visit our Schools page or MCOE's Rethinking Schools website.
Test or 10
If a student has any symptoms of COVID-19 (cough • shortness of breath / difficulty breathing • loss of taste or smell, fever [100.4°F/38°C or higher] or chills • sore throat • diarrhea • body ache • fatigue • headache • congestion / runny nose • nausea or vomiting), they must be tested for COVID-19 or evaluated by healthcare provider. If not, they must stay at home and isolate for at least 10 days.
- Students may return to school after they test negative for COVID-19 with copy of a negative test;
- or, after school receives clearance from a healthcare provider;
- and, their symptoms are improving;
- and, they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
- Prior to receiving test results or healthcare provider clearance, asymptomatic siblings & household contacts may attend school regardless of vaccination status.
- Important: A school nurse may require a healthcare provider evaluation if they suspect COVID-19.
Notify the school immediately if:
- Your student is being evaluated for COVID-19. They may return to school if they provide proof of a negative test or health provider clearance.
- A household member is being evaluated for COVID-19. The household member must isolate. If a household member is identified as a close contact to a known COVID-19 case, they must quarantine as indicated.
- If the household member tests positive for COVID-19:
- Unvaccinated siblings & household contacts must stay home.
- Asymptomatic, vaccinated siblings & household contacts may attend school.
- All exposed persons should monitor for symptoms for 14 days and get tested for COVID-19 5 days after last contact with positive case. If any symptoms develop, immediately self-isolate and get tested for COVID-19 or be evaluated by a healthcare provider.
- Your student has had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 outside a supervised school setting.
- Your child must stay at home and quarantine for 10 days after their last contact with the person who has COVID-19. Quarantine may be discontinued after 7 days IF an exposed person tests negative on Day 5 or later and remains asymptomatic.
Modified Quarantine for Students Exposed in Supervised School Setting (if both infected and exposed persons were wearing masks) and Students Returning from Out of State Travel:
- Vaccinated and unvaccinated students and staff may attend school for in-person instruction if they stay asymptomatic, wear a mask (indoors & outdoors), monitor for symptoms for 14 days and get tested for COVID-19 5 days after last contact with positive case (or return from out-of-state travel). If any symptoms develop, immediately self-isolate and get tested for COVID-19 or be evaluated by a healthcare provider.
- Quarantine may be discontinued after 7 days with a negative test completed on Day 5 or later if they remain asymptomatic.
- During modified quarantine students cannot participate in any extracurricular, social or community activities (incl. childcare).
Any student or staff member who has tested positive for COVID-19 or who has been exposed to COVID-19 must follow the instructions provided above and review our Isolation and Quarantine page as needed. Parents / guardians must notify the school immediately if their child or household member tests positive for COVID-19 or if a household member may have been exposed to COVID-19. This information will be kept confidential.
In outdoor settings, unvaccinated children and youth do not need to wear a mask, even if they cannot maintain physical distancing. However, per CDC recommendations, people who are not fully vaccinated are encouraged to wear a mask in crowded outdoor settings or during activities that involve sustained close contact (including high-risk contact sports) with other people who are not fully vaccinated.
In indoor youth settings (including K-12 Schools, childcare and other youth settings), everyone must wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status. This is especially important for children age 2 through 11 who are currently in eligible for vaccines and are therefore "unvaccinated." See the State of California's guidance on face coverings for more information.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is closely monitoring anticipated updates from the CDC regarding K-12 and other youth settings and will update recommendations at that time.
Visit the CDC COVID-19 information for tips on how to talk to children and teens about COVID-19.
On August 2, 2021, Marin County joined Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma, and the City of Berkeley in issuing Health Orders requiring masks indoors by all people -- vaccinated or unvaccinated -- out of an abundance of caution due to a rising number of COVID-19 cases.
Masks are not required outdoors, but are strongly recommended in crowded environments.
- California also requires that everyone wear masks in:
- Public transit
- Hospitals
- Long-term care facilities
- Homeless shelters
- Indoors in K-12 schools, childcare, and other youth settings
See our Public Health Order for the Wearing of Face Coverings in Workplaces and Public Settings to learn more about where masks are still required or recommended.
Read Get the Most out of Masking to learn how a mask can best protect you.
Yes, the State issued the following recommendations, which supersede the Travel Advisory issued on April 1, 2021:
- All travelers arriving in or returning to California from other states or countries should follow CDC travel guidance.
- All travelers who test positive or develop symptoms of COVID-19 should isolate and follow public health recommendations.
- Fully vaccinated travelers:
- are less likely to get and spread COVID-19, and can travel safely within the United States and California
- should follow CDC travel guidance, and are not required to test or quarantine before or after travel unless they have symptoms concerning for COVID-19 disease.
- Travelers that are not fully vaccinated:
- should get tested with a viral test 1-3 days before travel, and get tested 3-5 days upon arrival to their destination. They should self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel, even if their test is negative.
- if testing is not done after completion of travel, self-quarantine for 10 days.
For information around:
- vaccine verification/negative testing
- capacity limitations
- physical distancing
- masking
- travelers
- and exceptions to mega event guidance
Please visit the California Department of Public Health's website:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Beyond-Blueprint-Framework.aspx.
There are no longer any COVID-19 related restrictions regarding pools at the State or County level. Those dissipated with the end of the Blueprint on June 15th, with California's reopening. Any current restrictions (non-pandemic) related to pools can be found via a search on the CDPH site: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Pages/results.aspx?k=#k=pools