Covid-19 Information Hub
Last Updated – July 28, 2022
Welcome to Montessori Community School’s COVID-19 Information Hub. Our school’s top priority remains the health, safety, and well-being of our students, families, faculty, and staff. We are constantly assessing the efficacy of health and safety protocols and broader environmental conditions as we continue to plan for a safe and productive 2022-2023 school year.
We will continue to follow the guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Below you will find information on our safety protocols and policies.
Resources
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Covid-19 Testing Information
PCR-based COVID-19 Testing is typically provided by pediatricians and primary care physician offices, local health departments, pharmacies, urgent care, community-based-events, and other testing sites. Use this Test Site Finder link to find locations near you.
There may be a fee for any of the listed testing centers and please call ahead, as this information is always subject to change.
PCR COVID-19 Test Locations
Wake Toxicology; accepts all health insurance
Durham location offers a 24 hr self-swabbing station with specimen dropbox
Durham County Public Health Department; Free testing w/ quick results
Orange County Health Department
R7 Parking Lot Daily testing will continue Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm in Chapel Hill:
R7 Parking Lot, 725 MLK Jr. Blvd. Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Pre-registration is encouraged: https://lhi.care/covidtesting.To register visit https://bit.ly/makotestingch or call (919) 913-8088.
Aspirar Laboratories (No longer accepts BCBS Health Insurance). Locations in Durham and Cary
24 hr self-swabbing station with specimen dropbox. Option for a walk-in, provider conducted, test from 10 am–4 pm with minimal to no wait.
Pittsboro Pharmacy, connected with Wake Toxicology
630 East Street in the Chatham Commons Shopping Center, 919-533-6901
Hillsborough Indy Care 110 Boone Square St Suite 29A Hillsborough, 27279, 919-245-1213
Drive-thru Testing in Hillsborough Commons
Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 am to 4 pm
113 Mayo St., Hillsborough (in front of the Dept. of Social Services)
To register visit https://bit.ly/makotesting or call (919) 913-8088.
Free Rapid At-Home COVID-19 Tests
1. NCDHHS Free COVID-19 Tests Available by Mail Through Rockefeller Foundation Partnership
Durham County residents in certain zip codes can now have five free COVID-19 home tests shipped directly to them through Project ACT. Find out if you are eligible and order the free tests by searching your zip code on the Project ACT website.
Eligible Durham zip codes are 27701, 27703, 27704, 27705, 27707, 27709, 27712, 27713, and 27503.
2. Free COVID-19 at-home tests will be available for pick Mondays-Fridays at the Durham County Department of Public Health located at 414 E. Main St., Durham, NC 27701. To pick up your free tests, no insurance or ID needed.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 9 am-1 pm
Tuesday, Thursday: 12-4 pm
3. Residential households in the U.S. are now eligible for another order of free at-home tests on USPS.com. Here’s what you need to know about your order:
– Each order now includes 8 rapid antigen COVID-19 tests
– 8 tests will come in 2 separate packages (4 tests in each package), each with its own tracking number
– Packages will ship free4. Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order a 3rd round of free at-home tests.
Order free tests at COVIDtests.gov
5. Pick up Free Tests at Local Organizations
NCDHHS is partnering with community organizations for free Rapid At-Home Test distribution. Search the map to find a Community Access Point near you.
6. Buy Online or at Local Pharmacies using Health Insurance
Rapid At-Home Tests are available to purchase around the U.S. Check with online retail pharmacies or at your local pharmacy for availability. Check if you can purchase using insurance or get reimbursed.
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Covid-19 Vaccination Information
COVID-19 vaccines are available in North Carolina to everyone ages 6 months and older.
What you should know:
– The vaccine is free everywhere in North Carolina.
– No photo ID or insurance is needed.
– Depending on where you get your vaccine, you may need to make an appointment.
– U.S. citizenship is not required or checked.
– Are children able to get vaccinated? What about pregnant women? Find out the answers in our frequently asked questions about who can get a COVID-19 vaccine.Find a vaccine provider near you
To find an appointment, use the Vaccine Location Tool at MySpot.nc.gov.
– Individuals can mix or match the booster from any one of the three available COVID-19 vaccines
– Moderna & Pfizer Boosters available 6 months after 2nd shot
– J&J Booster available 2 months after single shotCDC Updates
Clinical Questions about COVID-19: Questions and AnswersCOVID-19 Vaccines
Currently, three vaccines are authorized and recommended to prevent COVID-19:
– Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (available for 12 years and older)
– Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
– Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
COVID-19 vaccination will help keep you from getting COVID-19 and is a safer way to help build protection. Wearing masks and social distancing help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others, but these measures are not enough. Vaccines will work with your immune system so it will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. It also may protect people around you, especially those more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19. The combination of getting vaccinated and following CDC’s recommendations to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from COVID-19.Where can I find answers to my vaccine questions?
Check out these pages for answers to frequently asked questions:
– Durham County Department of Public Health
– Orange County Department of Public Health
– NCDHHS
– CDCFor answers to Durham County COVID-19 vaccine questions, call the hotline at 919-635-8150 or email DCoCOVIDvaccines@dconc.gov. Or call the NCDHHS COVID-19 hotline at 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162.
Health and Safety
MCS has a protocol for returning to school after an illness, listed in the MCS Families Safety Precautions for 2022-2023.
MCS will only be offering Rapid Antigen or PCR Tests as a service to our students if they become sick during school hours. While we acknowledge that going “above and beyond” has been a helpful strategy as a part of our COVID-19 response thus far, we are shifting toward the prioritization guidance provided by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS). Governor Cooper announced his plan to end the NC COVID-19 State of Emergency (SOE) on August 15, 2022.
Please monitor for and report any of the following symptoms of illness if your child experiences them to Megan Moore or 919-493-8541.
- New or worsening cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fever of 100.0 or higher, chills
- New loss of taste or smell
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
At-Home Rapid Antigen Tests required for:
(There is no need to show proof of Rapid Test results to MCS Staff).
- Testing during the morning before school if a child has the onset of 1 minor symptom of illness. If a ‘Negative’ result is produced the child may attend school.
- The child has had an Isolated Exposure; Test only on Day 5 after exposure (Day 0= date of exposure).
- The child has a Household Exposure (individual within the household who is COVID-19 Positive); Test on Day 3 and Day 5 (Day 0= date of exposure).
- Recommend testing as a method to return on Day 6 after 5 Day Quarantine if COVID-19 Positive (Day 0= Symptom onset or, if asymptomatic, the date of positive test).
*Families please use your own supply of At-Home Tests.
Please Order Free At-Home Rapid Tests in advance for your testing needs. See the Covid-19 Testing Information tab above for resources.
PCR or MD Note is required for:
(There is no need to show proof of PCR Test results to MCS Staff)
- The child has 2 or more symptoms of illness
- Fever
Students, teachers, and staff who have symptoms of COVID-19 must stay home upon the onset of illness. Students and staff have 3 courses of possible action regarding how they can return after an illness involving fever or 2 or more symptoms of illness:
1) Negative PCR Test Result performed in a Clinical Setting: Students and staff may return once symptoms have improved for a 24 hr period & they have been fever free for 24 hrs without use of fever-reducing medicines and generally improving.
OR
2) Doctor’s written note: Indicating that student or staff poses no risk for contagious illness. It is not necessary for the note to indicate diagnosis. A note based on Telehealth or Virtual visit is not sufficient, as the individual can’t be assessed in person. Once the student or staff provide a note, they may return once symptoms have improved for a 24 hr period & they have been fever-free for 24 hrs without use of fever-reducing medicines and generally improving.
OR
3) Person has not been tested or received a Doctor’s note: Stay home for 5 days (Day 0= Symptom onset) and return to camp when symptoms have improved for a 24 hr period. Must be fever-free for the last 24 hours of isolation, without use of fever-reducing medicines and generally improving.
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What happens if a person tests positive for COVID?
MCS will follow the recommendations of our local Durham County Public Health Department if someone at our school should quarantine. Local public health authorities make the final decisions about how long quarantine should last in the communities they serve, based on local conditions and needs. MCS has been in touch with the Durham County Public Health Department COVID-19 Hotline.
For detailed information about all aspects of our on-campus health and safety plan, please refer to the MCS Families Safety Precautions for 2022-2023.