Dear School Leaders,
As you welcome more students and staff back to your classrooms, I wanted to share a reminder about the COVID-19 reporting requirements that are in place for school communities by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS).
ADHS COVID-19 Reporting Requirements
In accordance with ADHS Emergency Measure 2020-03 "Slowing the Spread of COVID-19: Reporting Requirements", schools, childcare establishments, and shelters are required to report outbreaks to their local health department within 24 hours of identification.
The local health department will make the final determination on whether an outbreak is occurring. To facilitate early investigation of suspected outbreaks, please see the following guidelines for reporting cases:
- Two or more individuals report COVID-19 symptoms to the facility (with or without confirmatory testing) within 14 days and the most plausible transmission mechanism is at the facility.
- Multiple individuals are out sick above what is usual or expected for the facility without any clear transmission link.
Please contact your local health department or visit their website to determine the required format for reporting in your county.
If your local health department determines that there is an outbreak in a school, childcare, or shelter, the following reporting requirements apply:
- Schools, child care centers, or shelters shall report to current staff, faculty, students, and students' parents and guardians within 24 hours of confirmation.
- Schools, child care centers, or shelters shall provide regular updates on their activities to keep current staff, faculty, students, students' parents, and guardians safe.
Resources
To assist you with this reporting requirement, the Arizona Department of Education compiled various resources on our COVID-19 guidance page, including:
Thank you again for your partnership during this exceptionally challenging school year. Your leadership and dedication to our school communities are much appreciated. If you have additional questions or need further support, please reach out to our Constituent Services at [email protected] or (602) 542-7378.
Best,
