COVID Health & Safety Updates and Reminders

The Shorecrest Health & Safety Task Force continues to meet weekly to review the latest information on COVID-19 and review campus health and safety protocols. Any changes or updates to the School’s policy are published in the Health & Safety Statement posted on www.shorecrest.org/health and in the All-School COVID Handbook Addendum. 

Please note a recent update on the Shorecrest COVID testing policy: 
Rapid Tests NOT Accepted for Individuals with Symptoms 

Per the guidance of the CDC and the Pinellas County Department of Health, Shorecrest is unable to accept rapid antigen point-of-care tests to rule out infection of COVID-19 in individuals with symptoms. While positive rapid tests are highly accurate, the tests are not as sensitive as the RT-PCR tests and present an increased chance of a false negative result. 

More information is posted on page 10 of the Health & Safety Statement.

Daily Attestation Reminder for Students and Families: 
Please note the attestation checklist for families on page 5 of the Health & Safety Statement.

Families are attesting that their students are illness/symptom free by sending them to school and by answering NO to all of the following each day:

• Do you have a fever (temperature > 100.4 without taking fever reducing medication)?
• Are you experiencing shortness of breath or difficulty breathing? 
• Do you have a new or worsening cough?
• Do you have the chills?
• Have you lost your sense of smell or taste?
• Do you have a new headache (e.g. one not associated with known conditions such as allergies)?
• Do you have congestion, a runny nose or a sore throat?
• Do you have muscle aches?
• Have you experienced any GI symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or loss of appetite?
• Do you have a bacterial infection such as pink eye or strep throat that you have not been on an antibiotic for 24 hours?
• Have you been asked to self-isolate or instructed to quarantine by a medical professional or local health department official?
• Have you been in close contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or been placed on quarantine for possible contact with COVID-19?

All staff/faculty and students are expected to follow the sick policy and stay home if they are exhibiting any signs of illness. If symptoms arise during the school day, the individual will be sent home promptly.  

If you have any questions about these policies or a question for the Task Force, please contact School Nurse Donna Conroy at [email protected].