COVID-19 Information
Lawrence Public Schools uses guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas State Department of Education, and Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in our school community.
The following information is provided as a resource.
Exposure
If you have been exposed to an individual who has tested positive for COVID, you should consider taking additional prevention strategies such as masking, maintaining physical distance from others, and testing for 5-10 days post-exposure. Normal attendance is suggested as long as you are symptom-free.
Return to School/Work
KDHE recommends using the CDC’s updated respiratory illness guidance for COVID-19. The CDC recommends that anyone with symptoms of a respiratory virus stay home and away from others. Individuals may return to school/work when their symptoms have improved AND they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medication.
Communication with the Health Department
Lawrence Public Schools will not track or require reporting of COVID cases. The district will not provide names of positive cases to Lawrence Douglas County Public Health as LPS is not currently contact tracing. If it is believed that a COVID-19 outbreak is present, LPS will work with LDCPH officials to determine the best course of action moving forward.
For more information, see this COVID Guidance.
COVID-19 and Respiratory Guidance
KDHE recommends using the CDC’s updated respiratory illness guidance for COVID-19. Lawrence Public Schools has updated its COVID-19 guidance to reflect this recommendation. The changes include dropping the 5 day isolation period for positive cases and instead asking those with symptoms to stay home until they feel better and have been fever free without fever reducing medication for 24 hours.
Core Prevention Strategies for Respiratory Viral Illnesses
As part of the guidance, CDC provides active recommendation on core prevention strategies:
- Staying up to date with vaccinations to protect people against serious illness, hospitalization, and death. This includes flu, COVID-19, and RSV if eligible.
- Practicing good hygiene by covering cough and sneezes, washing or sanitizing hands often, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
- Taking steps for clear air, such as bringing more fresh outside air, purifying indoor air, or gathering outdoors.
Testing Positive for COVID-19
At this time, the CDC recommends:
- Take steps to prevent spreading COVID-19.
- Monitor your symptoms. If you have any emergency warning signs, seek emergency care immediately.
- Seek health care right away for treatment if you have risk factors for severe illness. Treatment may be an option to make your symptoms less severe and shorten the time you are sick. Treatment needs to be started within a few days of when your symptoms begin.