The following is travel guidance from Schoharie County Public Health Services that was recently provided to Schoharie CSD:
Holiday Travel Guidance
As the holiday travel season approaches, we would like to remind families about the New York State travel advisory and how it can impact your child’s ability to attend school. According to the governor’s November 3rd press conference, non-essential travel is strongly discouraged, but if you must travel, the following guidelines apply.
Scenario One
Your family travels to a State not bordering New York State*
The New York State Department of Health requires anyone traveling out of the State with plans to return to NYS to complete a Traveler Health Form. It does not matter how your family travels (airplane, car, bus, train etc.). This form along with details about the travel advisory can be found online at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory . Failure to comply with the travel advisory could result in a mandatory quarantine order and a fine of up to $10,000.
If you wish to avoid a mandatory 14-day quarantine, you must show two negative COVID-19 tests, one dated 1-3 days prior to entering New York, and one 4 days after returning to New York. Upon results of 2nd negative test, you will be allowed to resume normal activities. Your child will not be allowed to attend classes until/unless both tests come back negative. Proof of negative tests must be provided to school nurse before returning to school.
If you do not get testing done, those who travel are expected to quarantine at home for 14 days. This means your child will not be allowed to attend in person classes for the entire quarantine period.
If a family does not complete the Traveler Health Form, but it is discovered your child traveled to a bordering state, you will be contacted by the school and asked to pick up your child from school as soon as possible. Your child will be removed from their class and isolated until you arrive and pick him/her up.
Your contact information will also be shared with the Schoharie County Public Health Services. Someone will then contact you and go over the travel quarantine requirements including the date of completion. Upon completion, you will be provided with a return to school/work letter stating your child has completed the required quarantine.
Scenario Two
Your family hosts guests from another state not bordering New York State
Your guests should have completed the NYS Traveler Health Form before traveling. If your guests do not get a COVID-19 test 1-3 days prior to entering New York, they will need to quarantine for two weeks or the duration of their stay, whichever is shorter. If your guests get a negative COVID-19 test 1-3 days prior to leaving the state and another negative COVID-19 test 4 days after entering the state, they are eligible for release from quarantine. Once travelers complete the health form, they will receive a call from representatives of the Schoharie County Public Health Services and instructed to check their temperatures, monitor symptoms**, and respond to follow up daily for the length of their quarantine.
Your guests should minimize interactions with family during their stay. They should always wear a mask when interacting with family and strive to maintain a 6-foot distance from others. Your guests should also have a separate bathroom and bedroom to use whenever possible. Guests should not go shopping or leave the residence they are staying at for the duration of their stay or quarantine, whichever is shorter. Extra time should be spent cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces (doorknobs, faucets, handrails etc.).
Your child will be allowed to attend in-person and virtual classes but monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms is a must. If one of your guests becomes ill and gets tested for COVID-19 the results of the test could change your child’s ability to attend in-person classes.
If your guest receives a positive COVID-19 test your child will be required to quarantine for 14 days regardless of a negative COVID-19 test for your child. Also, all other family members exposed to the sick guest will be required to quarantine for 14 days regardless of a negative COVID-19 test.
At the end of your quarantine, you will be provided with a return to school/work letter stating your child has completed the required quarantine.
Scenario Three
You/your child/your guests travel within New York State/Bordering states*
The New York State travel advisory does not apply to travel within New York State or those states that share a border with New York*. However, bringing together family from different parts of the Region presents challenges. It is important to monitor different parts of the region for potential COVID-19 hotspots before traveling or having guests travel to you.
Please ask guests not to come if they are feeling ill or are traveling from a COVID-19 hotspot. Require guests to monitor themselves daily for COVID-19 symptoms**. If symptoms begin, have your guests isolate themselves until they leave or get tested for COVID-19. This also applies to your family as well if you travel in the region to visit during the holidays.
If one of your guests becomes ill and gets tested for COVID-19 the results of the test could change your child’s ability to attend in-person classes.
If your guest receives a positive COVID-19 test your child will be required to quarantine for 14 days regardless of a negative COVID-19 test for your child. Also, all other family members exposed to the sick guest will be required to quarantine for 14 days regardless of a negative COVID-19 test. In this event, a representative of Schoharie County Public Health Services will contact you and go over the quarantine requirements, including the date of completion. Upon completion of your quarantine, you will be provided with a return to school/work letter stating your child has completed the required quarantine.
These guidelines are subject to change by the Government of New York. We will notify all our families of any changes to policy as soon as we are made aware of them.
*Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Vermont
** Fever over 100.4F, subjective fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, headache, muscle aches, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, dehydration, fatigue, chest tightness, wheezing, runny nose, loss of taste, loss of smell