Health Guidance
This guidance provides best practice considerations for schools for the 2023-2024 school year to help prevent the transmission of illnesses among students and staff.
Schools should report all illnesses among students to their school nurse. If there is not a school nurse on-site, please report to the nursing supervisor. You can find your school nursing supervisors(Open external link). If there is a confirmed diagnosis of a reportable illness among staff, schools should report this to NYC Department of Health Bureau of Communicable Disease at 347-396-2600.
Schools should emphasize the following recommendations below for school communities to stay healthy and safe:
- Vaccination: Vaccination is the best way to reduce risk of many illnesses(Open external link). Encourage up to date COVID-19 and flu vaccination for all staff and students
- Visit the vaccine finder page(Open external link) or call 877-829-4692 to find a location near you.
- Updated COVID-19 vaccines are expected in early fall. Encourage staff and children to get the updated vaccine, even if they have had COVID-19 or been vaccinated before. See At-A-Glance COVID-19 Vaccination Schedules (cdc.gov)(Open external link).
- Stay home if sick: Students and staff should stay home if they show any symptoms of illnesses.
- If they have respiratory illness, they should get tested for COVID-19(Open external link) and possibly influenza(Open external link) and take the proper precautions.
- Testing: NYCPS will continue to provide COVID-19 tests in schools this fall upon request.
- If they test positive for COVID-19, they must isolate for at least 5 days and wear a mask for days 6-10 when returning to school. Guidance(Open external link) is available. Additional information about isolation for COVID-19(Open external link) is also available.
- If they have respiratory illness, they should get tested for COVID-19(Open external link) and possibly influenza(Open external link) and take the proper precautions.
- Consider wearing a mask, especially in a crowded indoor setting particularly if your child has a medical condition that puts them at risk for severe COVID-19, or if they are around others who are at increased risk for COVID-19, such as grandparents or other older adults Masks are an important layer of protection to stop the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses.
- Always wear a mask when sick and unable to separate from others, and, if you have COVID-19, for 10 days after your symptoms began (or 10 days after you test positive for COVID-19, if you have no symptoms). Additional information about isolation for COVID-19(Open external link) is available.
- Always wear a mask for 10 days after being exposed to someone who has COVID-19. View guidance on what to do following a COVID-19 exposure(Open external link).
- Masks will also be required when entering the school medical room when the nurse suspects the student has respiratory symptoms
- Wear a high-quality mask, such as a KN95, KF94 or N95 for the best protection from COVID-19.
- Cover Your Cough: Encourage all students and staff to use a tissue to cover coughs and sneezes. If you don’t have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve, not your hands. View educational posters for schools(Open external link) and can also be obtained by calling 311
- Wash your hands: Encourage all students and staff to wash hands often with soap and water to stop the spread of germs. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer(Open external link). Educational posters for schools(Open external link) are available and can also be obtained by calling 311.
See a Health Care Provider Regularly
If your child has a chronic condition, they may need to see their health care provider more often. The health care provider will manage your child’s condition with a treatment plan. This can reduce your child’s symptoms and lower the chance of an emergency room visit. Schools also offer services that can support an outside health care provider’s care. Learn about services at school for students with conditions like asthma, allergies, and diabetes.
If you don’t have a health care provider, call 311 or the 24-hour Contact Center for NYC Health and Hospitals (H+H) at 844-NYC-4NYC to be connected to care. Care is available in NYC regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. Find a Health Center(Open external link).
Health Insurance
Children with health insurance are more likely to have a regular health care provider and get the health care services they need.
Health insurance helps with the cost of health care provider visits and prescribed medicine. Make sure you and your family are covered. Almost all NYC children can get Child Health Plus health insurance for free or at a low cost. Your child may also be able to get insurance through your job, Medicaid, or the NY State of Health Marketplace.
- Your school can help you and your family explore options and sign up for health insurance. Reach out to the Parent Coordinator at your school to get connected to an insurance navigator.
- You can also enroll online through the NY State Health Marketplace, or call their help line: 1-855-355-5777.
- Students and their families who qualify for Child Health Plus, Medicaid or the Essential Plan can sign up for insurance all year long.
For answers to frequently asked health insurance questions, read Get Covered NYC! More information on free and low-cost insurance options(Open external link) are available.