Managing Possible and Positive COVID-19 Cases at ISP
Last updated:
20 march 2022
Contact at Risk - Preschool, Primary, Middle and High School
Frequently Asked Questions
We know there is a lot of information to understand related to COVID protocols, and our staff is here to help answer any questions that you may have. Below please find some answers to our most common questions.
As always, it is critical to continue to report all positive COVID-19 cases and direct contact cases to ispnurse@isparis.net. For after school hours or on the weekend, the automatic email reply message will indicate a phone number to call to report positive cases only, as this may impact a class (e.g. potential required class testing protocol).
- What is ISP's self testing programme?
- What happens if a student or a staff member tests positive for COVID-19?
- How will ISP inform the community of a positive COVID-19 case?
- What happens when there is a positive COVID-19 case in the primary school?
- What happens when there is a positive case in the secondary school?
- What is the definition of a full vaccination cycle in France?
- Where can I find the attestation to update my child's COVID-19 vaccination status?
- May siblings of students designated as contacts at risk attend school?
- May students who are household members with someone who is COVID-19 positive attend school?
- Can my child access Online Home Learning when they are home (COVID-19 positive or high risk contact at risk)?
- Where can I get my COVID certificate if I am vaccinated abroad?
- What happens if a student presents symptoms of COVID-19 whilst at ISP?
What is ISP's self testing programme?
What happens if a student or a staff member tests positive for COVID-19?
How will ISP inform the community of a positive COVID-19 case?
What happens when there is a positive COVID-19 case in the primary school?
What happens when there is a positive case in the secondary school?
What is the definition of a full vaccination cycle in France?
Where can I find the attestation to update my child's COVID-19 vaccination status?
May siblings of students designated as contacts at risk attend school?
May students who are household members with someone who is COVID-19 positive attend school?
Can my child access Online Home Learning when they are home (COVID-19 positive or high risk contact at risk)?
Where can I get my COVID certificate if I am vaccinated abroad?
What happens if a student presents symptoms of COVID-19 whilst at ISP?
Who is considered a 'contact at risk' within the school community?
A strong recommendation
We recommend with the strongest urgency and sense of shared responsibility that when a child is out of school in a 'contact at risk' situation, that the family postpones all of their social interactions – activities, family get-togethers, or other – until they receive their test results.
When may my child or my child’s teacher, identified as a 'contact at risk', return to school?
Once a student or staff member has been identified as a contact at risk, there are specific protocols they must follow in order to continue in-person learning.
If your child has had COVID within the past two months, they are not required to undergo the contact tracing testing protocol, provided they do not exhibit any symptoms, which would require re-testing.
At any time, there may be specific, additional protocols to follow based on potential variants of the SARS CoV-19 virus. Our school nurses will manage any such additional protocols directly with any affected family.
- Preschool - Nursery, Pre-K and Kindergarten
- Elementary School - Grade 1 to Grade 5
- Middle and High School - Grade 6 to Grade 12
- Personnel (Teachers / Staff)
Preschool - Nursery, Pre-K and Kindergarten
Elementary School - Grade 1 to Grade 5
Middle and High School - Grade 6 to Grade 12
Personnel (Teachers / Staff)
In the event a contact at risk tests positive for COVID-19, or someone in their household tests positive for COVID-19, you must immediately inform the school and follow the protocols as set forth for a positive COVID-19 case.
Where can you get tested?
Please visit the website of the Ministère de Solidarités et de la Santé for a list of all testing sites near your residence.
PCR laboratory tests are available in numerous laboratoires, many of which can be booked online through Doctolib (search for ‘Laboratoire de biologie médicale’). You can then filter by the type of test needed (dépistage PCR or dépistage antigénique).
At all times, you should respect the time delays for testing as prescribed by the ARS, or your primary care physician.
When may my child, who is a positive COVID case, return to school?
When a student has tested positive for COVID-19, there are specific protocols before they may return to school. Under no circumstances may your child return to class until these protocols have been fully completed, and the return date must be cleared with our school nurse ahead of time (ispnurse@isparis.net).
A student can only return to school if they are well and do not present any symptoms; if they have signs of a fever, or other COVID symptoms, they need to wait an additional 48 hours following the absence of all symptoms before returning to school.
The student does not need to have another COVID-19 PCR test in order to return to school. However, the time frames may be reduced for those that provide a negative antigenic or RT-PCR test result, as noted below.
Your primary care physician may require the absence period be longer than the initial isolation/quarantine period. If this is the case, the time out of school should strictly follow those medical recommendations.
During the isolation period, the student should isolate as much as possible in a room(s) that are regularly ventilated. Masks should be worn by all family members when they are in common areas and barrier gestures (social distance, hand washing, etc.) strictly observed.
ISP Community Members (Students, Families and Staff) Positive for COVID-19
- We require, for the health and safety of our community, that any family with a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case report this information directly to the school nurses via ispnurse@isparis.net.
- The school will immediately contact the French health authorities (ARS), and they may impose additional closures or protocols on top of the protocols described above.
- Submission of required documentation before re-entry to school is allowed.
Testing Requirements
- ISP will follow and fully implement the French health authorities' (ARS) expectations for COVID-19 testing.
- If a student or staff member is unwell, ISP will contact the ARS immediately to implement testing and / or quarantines, as well as required communication.