Below is a message from Newton Health and Human Service on COVID-19 safety during April break.

Newton Public Schools families & staff are urged to do their part to help decrease the spread of COVID-19. Everyone should continue to follow the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), CDC and NPS guidelines related to travel and return to school.

Travel:

CDC recommends delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated, because travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, follow CDC’s recommendations for unvaccinated people. If you choose to travel, be aware of the Massachusetts travel advisory detailed below.

Massachusetts Travel Advisory:

• All visitors entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, are advised to quarantine for 10 days upon their arrival.
• Travelers in the following categories are exempt from this quarantine advisory:
  – Travelers who have received a negative COVID-19 result on a test administered no more than 72 hours prior to their arrival in Massachusetts.
  – Travelers may also test out of the quarantine advisory after arrival in Massachusetts as long as they quarantine until receiving a negative test result.
  – Anyone who is entering Massachusetts for fewer than 24 hours, or anyone returning after being out of the State for fewer than 24 hours.
  – Travelers who are fully vaccinated (i.e., who have received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines OR who have received a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 14 days or more ago) and who do not have symptoms.
  – Travelers who received a positive COVID-19 test result between 10 and 90 days ago and have completed the appropriate isolation period (if more than 90 days prior to arrival in Massachusetts you should quarantine upon arrival or comply with the quarantine/testing advisory).
• Testing for children 10 years and younger, who are traveling with an adult from their household is not necessary. They should follow the quarantine and testing options completed by the household adult they accompanied for travel. If the child is 11 or older, then the child should be tested or should quarantine for 10 days, consistent with the Travel Advisory.

Returning to School:

All staff and students must continue to adhere to the four safety pillars below – even if fully vaccinated:

• Proper mask-wearing
• Maintaining physical distancing – 3 feet in classrooms where desks are arranged in this formation and 6 ft. everywhere else
• Frequent hand hygiene
• Staying home when sick- continue to do the daily health assessment even if you are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19

For any questions, contact your school nurse or Newton Health and Human Services at 617-796-1420