COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions - Chicago

COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions

Did a CPS employee test positive for COVID-19?

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) announced late Friday that an individual who is a Special Education Classroom Assistant at Vaughn Occupational High School had tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). This patient was hospitalized as of Thursday, March 5, and she remains in stable condition.

Both agencies have already begun a robust outreach process to students, faculty and staff at Vaughn to establish who had direct contact with the patient. At the moment, the confirmed case remains an isolated incident and the immediate health risk to the general public in Chicago and the broader CPS community remains low.

What measures should employee/parents of students at Vaughn Occupational High School take?

To protect the health of the community and prevent further transmission, all students, staff, and other service providers who were at Vaughn Occupational High School since Tuesday, February 25 should stay home through Wednesday, March 18 unless seeking medical care, or until given other direction. Please note this is an updated date based on the latest information gathered.

What should other family or household members of Vaughn Occupational High School do? Should they stay home too?

No. People who were not at Vaughn between February 25 and March 6 do not have restrictions at this time, even if they have been in contact with someone at Vaughn. They can attend work and school, as long as they are not sick. This includes:

Family members, care providers or those who share a household with Vaughn students, staff, and service providers

Students, faculty and staff at other schools or other members of the community who may have come into contact with members of the Vaughn community

Students who shared the bus with Vaughn students

I'm NOT an employee or parent of a student at Vaughn but I think I might've been exposed to COVID-19. What should I do?

Talk to your healthcare provider. Call ahead before seeking care to let them know about your symptoms and possible exposure.

If I came into contact with a Vaughn student or staff member, should I be concerned?

No. At this time, this is an isolated case and the CDPH is following up with everyone who may have been exposed. If you have recently come into contact with a Vaughn student or staff member who did not have symptoms there is no recommendation to change your day-to-day activity.

If you develop any symptoms, call your healthcare provider and explain the situation before seeking medical care. Please note that there are many respiratory viruses that can cause symptoms similar to COVID-19. The best way to prevent the

This version was released on 03/07/2020. It may be updated with new guidance. Please visit coronavirus to find the latest version.

spread of many illnesses, including COVID-19, is by practicing good hygiene such as washing your hands often, covering your cough, and staying home when sick.

I live with a Vaughn student, staff, or service providers. Should I stay home or call my child's school or workplace?

Parents, siblings, children of staff or other family members who were not at Vaughn between Tuesday, February 25 and Friday, March 6 and who are not having symptoms are NOT required to stay home unless otherwise directed. If you share a household with Vaughn students, staff, or service provider, there is no need to send additional notifications to your children's school or workplace.

What do you know about the patient?

The patient is an employee at Vaughn Occupational. She is currently hospitalized and in stable condition. This staff member was exposed to the virus after being on a cruise ship in California. On March 4, the cruise line first announced that there had been COVID-19 cases associated with the ship. There have now been more than 20 cases from that cruise. After returning to Chicago, the patient initially returned to work; her last day of work was March 4. She was tested for COVID-19 and a presumptive positive diagnosis was returned late Friday, March 6.

When will classes at Vaughn resume?

At this time, students and staff are advised to stay home through Wednesday, March 18. However, a final decision on when classes will resume will be based on CDPH's investigation. Any changes in this guidance will be communicated with families and staff.

Are children at a high risk of contracting COVID-19? Based on what we have seen in other countries, most cases of COVID-19 cause mild illness. To date, children also appear less likely to become ill.

What are CDPH and CPS doing?

CDPH and CPS are contacting all students, families, staff, and service providers. CDPH will be following up individually with members of the Vaughn community to learn more about their current health status, gain a better understanding of their underlying medical conditions, talk in detail about their health, and arrange testing if they develop any symptoms. CDPH will be offering free COVID-19 testing to Vaughn students or staff who require testing as part of this investigation. CDPH will make this decision in individual conversations with students, families, and staff. All testing requires a specific CDPH appointment.

Given that this patient is an employee in a high school that serves students with higher medical needs, CPDH made the decision to temporarily close the school. The school is undergoing a thorough cleaning beginning Saturday, 3/7, using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended cleaning protocols.

Vaughn families and staff members who may need support communicating with their employers or those who may need food assistance should contact the CPS Office of Student Health & Wellness at oshw@cps.edu or by calling the Healthy CPS Hotline 773-553-KIDS (5437). If you do not have a healthcare provider, please call the Healthy CPS hotline at 773553-KIDS.

Can I get tested if I was at Vaughn but I don't have symptoms?

This test is NOT useful for people who do NOT have symptoms. A negative test in someone who does not have symptoms does not rule out the possibility of COVID-19 infection. This is why CDPH needs to understand people's

This version was released on 03/07/2020. It may be updated with new guidance. Please visit coronavirus to find the latest version.

underlying medical conditions and needs to monitor people's health for 14 days from last exposure. If symptoms develop during this time, CDPH will arrange testing. Again, all testing will be done by appointment. I have COVID-19 symptoms and want to be tested, but I wasn't at Vaughn. Who should I talk to? You need to talk to your healthcare provider. There are many respiratory viruses that can cause the same symptoms. Your healthcare provider will assess the risk of exposure and determine whether you need to be tested for COVID-19 or not. CDPH is working closely with hospitals, providers and other health partners and has been providing guidance to healthcare providers on how to identify, report, and test suspect COVID-19 cases. What is the current CDPH guidance for schools? Childcare facilities, K-12 schools and colleges/universities should review their emergency operations plans, including strategies for social distancing and online learning. Schools should consider postponing or canceling student foreign exchange programs. At this time, CDPH does not recommend closing schools district-wide. See CDPH's COVID-19 Guidance for Childcare Programs and COVID-19 Guidance for Schools and Institutions of Higher Education. Do other schools in Chicago need to cancel any events or take additional measures such as thorough cleaning? No. At this time, there is no recommendation for schools in Chicago to cancel any planned events or large gatherings, or perform special environmental cleaning. At this time, no special sanitizing processes beyond routine cleaning are necessary or recommended to slow the spread of respiratory illness, including COVID-19, but we do encourage schools to review their cleaning protocols and make sure they are strictly followed. What's the latest news about COVID-19? There have been six Illinois residents who have so far tested positive for COVID-19. CDPH continues to work closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal, state and local partners to monitor and respond to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 outbreak. CDPH's goal is to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in Chicago by detecting new cases quickly and minimizing transmission. CDPH is investigating these confirmed cases of COVID-19 and monitoring friends, family and other close contacts who may have been exposed. CDPH will reach out to individuals directly if they are potentially a direct contact of a confirmed case.

For more information, please visit coronavirus.

This version was released on 03/07/2020. It may be updated with new guidance. Please visit coronavirus to find the latest version.

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