Common symptoms include fever (temperature of 100.4°F or higher), new onset or worsening cough, new loss of taste or smell, and shortness of breath; others less common symptoms are sore throat, chills, muscle pain, excessive fatigue, new onset of severe headache, new onset of nasal congestion and/or runny nose, and diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.

Through respiratory droplets that are emitted when an infectious person coughs, sneezes, or talks.

Yes because a person may be infectious before they start showing signs of illness due to the incubation period of the virus which is 2-14 days.

Yes because the mask does not keep all the droplets in and therefore the virus can still spread.

The single most important thing to break the cycle of infection is hand hygiene. Wash with soap and water and scrub hands for 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Isolation is done when a person has a confirmed case (positive test) of COVID-19 or showing symptoms associated with the coronavirus. Quarantine is done when someone has been in close contact with someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19. Isolation separates sick people from non-sick; quarantine separates well people to see if they become sick.

The recommendation is up to 24 hours or until it becomes wet on the outside as it is considered contaminated.

No, stay home to see if symptoms improve and consult with a medical provider if you are experiencing any symptoms.

Stay home at least for 10 days since symptoms first appeared AND until you have no fever for at least 24 hours without fever reducing medication as well as improvement of other symptoms. Any household members should quarantine for 14 days.

Everyone is at risk, but those who are over 65 years old or any age with an underlying medical condition are at higher risk for severe illness.

The student health office is staffed by a licensed school nurse whose office is on the first floor of the residence hall, in the dormitory management office suite to the right of the entryway. The nurse is on campus from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

When the school nurse is not on duty, trained high school and residence hall staff can assist students with first aid or routine illnesses. Other authorized student services staff can dispense prescription or over-the-counter medications per releases signed by parents/guardians when the nurse is not present.

Parents/guardians and students are required to read the Perpich Student/Parent Handbook and to understand the school’s attendance policy and procedures related to absences due to illness.

Commuter students who become ill at home on a school day must have their parent/guardian call the attendance line, 763-279-4199, before classes begin at 8:00 a.m. to notify the school. Voicemail is available at this number. The attendance clerk might return calls as needed for clarification.

A note from the parent/guardian must be turned in to the attendance clerk the day the student returns to classes. Illness without a phone notification and follow-up note will be counted as unexcused.

Students living independently who become ill on a school day must call the attendance line, 763-279-4199, before classes begin at 8:00 a.m. to notify the school. Voicemail is available at this number. The attendance clerk might return calls as needed for clarification.

When a student becomes ill during the school day, they must get a pass from the adult currently supervising them and report directly to the attendance clerk at the reception desk.

Students who are ill but leave class or school without obtaining a pass and reporting to the reception desk will receive an unexcused absence.

Resident students normally use the residence hall absence-due-to-illness procedure in which they report to the school nurse or resident coordinator before classes begin and receive permission to stay in the residence hall. The nurse or coordinator will then notify the attendance clerk.

Parents/guardians may not excuse their students from class due to illness if the student was in the residence hall the night before the absence occurs. Students excused due to illness must remain in the residence hall for the evening if they do not go home.

Students who are ill for more than one day or who sustain an injury preventing them from attending class may stay in the residence hall at the discretion of the school nurse and/or the school director/director of student life.

Discussion with parents/guardians and a note from a health professional will be required of any student – commuter or resident or student living independently – who becomes chronically absent due to illness.

Students who require long-term medical care for eight school days or more may request medical leave. Medical verification from a healthcare professional is required. The school may not remove a student from a class due to the student being on medical leave. The high school will provide homework and other support to help the student complete coursework as required for credit in classes. Prior to returning from the medical leave, the student, with their parents/guardians, must schedule a re-entry meeting with student support service staff and appropriate faculty. A statement from a health professional may be required prior to the re-entry meeting.

The school nurse and school administration work directly with local and state health department officials and follow their directives should it be determined that a reportable infectious disease is diagnosed in any student or staff member at the school. The most common is influenza. If your student is diagnosed with a reportable infectious disease, please immediately notify the student health office at 763-279-4193. Please also notify the school if your student is diagnosed with less serious but communicable conditions such as strep throat, pink eye, or head lice, etc.

Parents/guardians must fill out and sign authorizations for use of over-the-counter medications and/or prescribed medicines before their use will be allowed on campus and/or a student will be allowed to carry and self-administer. Prescribed medicine authorizations must be signed by licensed health professionals as well as by parents/guardians.

All medications to be used by a student during the school year must be brought to the health office or residence hall office, including over-the-counter medications. Prescription medicines must be in the original pharmacy container.

If prescription medications will be taken both on campus and at home, please direct the pharmacist to supply the medication in two separate, correctly labeled containers. Keep one at home and provide the other to the health office.

Prescription medications that will be kept in the nurse’s office at all times include: narcotics/analgesics, stimulants, anti-psychotics, medications treating the central nervous system, antidepressants, and antitussives with codeine. These will be dispensed by the nurse. A medication administration log is kept for each medication administered from the nurse’s office.

Prescription medications such as vitamins, nutritional supplements, creams/lotions, eye/ear drops, birth control pills, or nasal/asthma inhalers may be allowed for self-carry and self-administration at the school nurse’s discretion, following a meeting with the school nurse for discussion and, in some instances, authorization forms and student agreement forms.

Over-the-counter medications allowed on campus are listed on the over-the-counter medication authorization form. All over-the-counter drugs must be kept in the original, labeled containers in which they were purchased and be taken only in the dosages prescribed on the container.

Misuse of any medication or failure to comply with the medication policy is a violation of the Perpich Chemical Use policy and will be grounds for discipline. Sharing prescription medications with other students is strictly prohibited, is a violation of the chemical use policy, and is illegal.

Students with asthma are required to keep quick-relief inhalers with them at all times on campus. Students with allergies or history of anaphylaxis who are prescribed an EpiPen are required to have it with them at all times on campus. Emergency services (911) will be called if these students do not have their inhalers or EpiPens with them when having an asthma attack or allergic reaction. Perpich Center for Arts Education is not responsible for expenses incurred in such situations. Students are encouraged to keep extra inhalers/EpiPens in the nurse’s office and in the students services offices.

Not currently applicable due to COVID-19 precautions.

The school nurse is licensed to provide specialized care through procedures that include but are not limited to: chest physiotherapy, tube feeding on a pump, nebulizer use, tracheotomy care, and mobility issues requiring the use of braces and/or other assistance.

Students 18 or older are legally able to obtain medications from a doctor. However, the Perpich Student/Parent Handbook states that a student must have written authorization for medical treatment or medications from a parent/legal guardian and a licensed health care provider while living in the residence hall, even if the student is 18 or older.

All health-related information is considered confidential and will be shared with relevant staff on a need-to-know basis only and only after discussion with the student. Student visits to the nurse’s office are confidential and documented with discretion to protect the privacy of students.