Frequently Asked Questions
COVID-19
Frequently Asked Questions
We have compiled some commonly asked questions to give you more information about TCSOS’s COVID-19 response. If you can’t find the answer to your questions, contact us to find out more.
How does COVID-19 spread? When is someone considered contagious?
According to the latest school guidelines published by the California Department of Public Health, “COVID-19 is mostly spread from person-to-person in the air through virus-containing droplets in the breath of someone with COVID-19.” A person with COVID-19 is considered contagious two days before their symptoms start until at least ten days later, fever is gone 24 hours, and symptoms have improved.
If a person with COVID-19 has no symptoms, they are considered contagious 2 days before their positive test until 10 days after the positive test.
If a person who was initially asymptomatic develops symptoms after testing positive, the contagious period should be considered as two days before the test date and is extended to ten days after the onset of symptoms.
How does the Omicron variant spread, and is it safe to return given the increase in reported transmission from the variant?
As with other COVID-19 variants, it spreads primarily through airborne droplets. Though the Omicron variant is on the rise, masking and vaccination greatly reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
If I have young children who are not yet able to be vaccinated, can they safely return given the increase in Omicron variant transmission?
Yes, particularly with preventive strategies like vaccinations for those 5 years of age and up and continued masking. There is currently no evidence that the Omicron variant causes more severe disease or more hospitalizations in children compared to other COVID variants.