Murray High School

MHS COVID-19 Contact:

Emily Bird - Asst. Principal

[email protected]

Wash Hands!

Be Kind!

Respect everyone!

COVID-19 Information: 2021-2022

(Updated 01/26/2022)

COVID-19 Vaccination

Vaccination is not a requirement to enroll in school or join an extracurricular team. To help ensure a safe, in-person learning and social environment, the Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCoHD) strongly recommends that everyone eligible be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and boosted 6 months after the second dose. Parents should talk to their health care provider when making decisions about vaccinating eligible students.

Face Coverings 

Unless mandated by the SLCo Health Department and/or appropriate government officials, Face coverings are not mandatory .  Families will need to make individual decisions about when and where to have students wear face coverings. We ask that everyone in our school community respect the individual decisions that are made by families. Please know that most health officials encourage wearing face coverings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The SLCoHD, in alignment with the Utah Department of Health, also strongly recommends that everyone—vaccinated or not—wear a face mask when indoors in public, including in school.

COVID-19 Testing

COVID testing is encouraged should you develop symptoms. Testing will not be required in most circumstances, including for extracurricular activities. Test-to-stay protocols have been suspended by the state legislature as of 01/21/22 and state leaders will determine if a district will move schools to remote learning protocols as cases rise.

Feel Sick, Stay Home

Students who have COVID-like symptoms should stay home from school. Having symptomatic individuals stay home will significantly reduce the possibility of having to implement remote day protocols.  Additionally, anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 will not be permitted at school or any school activities during their isolation period (5 days from test date) – regardless of vaccination status.

Quarantine

Quarantine decisions will be made by the Health Department. Click the following link for the latest quarantine guidelines for teachers and students. Parents/guardians will be contacted by public health if their student was in the same class as someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or if they participated in an extracurricular activity with a COVID-19 positive individual. The notice will recommend that these exposed students:

• Wear a face mask  for 5-10 days after the exposure,
  
• Monitor symptoms

All exposed individuals are encouraged to get tested 5 days after exposure.

Remote Learning

Students who are exposed to COVID-19 and choose to remain at home during their quarantine period will be asked to contact their regular classroom teacher(s) so they can continue their learning remotely for up to 5 days. Students who test positive for COVID-19 will also be asked to work with their classroom teacher(s) to continue their learning remotely for 5 days or until symptom free.

Sanitation and Hygiene

Schools will continue to implement best practices with cleaning, physical distancing, and other actions designed to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

COVID-19 Case Counts

MCSD will post COVID-19 case count numbers on our website regularly during the week so that parents have information for their child’s school.

HB 183, passed by the House and Senate on 1/24/22, states the following:

(3) (a) For purposes of determining whether a school has reached the school's case threshold, a student is included in positive cases for the school if the student:

        (i) within the preceding number of days equal to the estimated incubation period

        (A) attended at least some in-person instruction at the school; and

        (B) tested positive for COVID-19

Based on this new legislation, the Utah Department of Health has defined the incubation period at 7-days. Moving forward, public dashboards showing school-related cases will show the case count for the past 7-days instead of 14-days. The Salt Lake County Health Department has also updated the definition of school-related cases to be those who were there to “get it” (at school during the 7 days prior to test date) or “give it” (at school in the 10 days after the test date while infectious). The thresholds mentioned in HB 183 will be based on the number of school-related cases in the prior 7-days moving forward each day.

B​e SMART

• Stay home when sick or when waiting for COVID-19 test results
• Masks are a personal choice (unless under health department mandate), but may prevent sickness and quarantine
• Advocate for distancing when possible
• Remember good hygiene and sanitation
• Talk to your health care provider about vaccinating eligible students

The Utah Department of Health COVID-19 mobile testing team provides testing every Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. at 7216 S. State Street.  Nasal PCR, saliva PCR, and rapid antigen testing for anyone ages 3 and older is available.

No appointment is necessary. However, it is helpful to complete the Testing Registration Form before you arrive.

The District will continue to work with our local health officials to monitor COVID-19 case counts in MCSD and will keep you informed of any adjustments to these guidelines.