CMS releases set of guidelines for staff amid monkeypox outbreak, COVID-19 spread
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools sent health guidelines to teachers, faculty and staff early last week amid the ongoing spread of monkeypox and coronavirus throughout North Carolina.
The guidelines, which include quarantine protocol for students and their families if a positive case of monkeypox is detected within a CMS school, come after six people in Mecklenburg County were hospitalized with the virus and the area’s first juvenile case was identified, The Charlotte Observer reported.
How do CMS schools plan to address monkeypox this school year?
There have been 322 confirmed cases of monkeypox in North Carolina as of last Thursday, a figure that has nearly tripled since the first week of August, according to data from the Mecklenburg County Health Department. Currently, 138 of those cases are located in the county.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said due to differences in how the disease spreads, there will be a contrast in how schools react to the monkeypox outbreak and how schools have previously responded to COVID-19.
“While monkeypox is a significant public health issue, there are important differences from COVID-19,” N.C. DHHS said in a statement to the Observer. “Monkeypox does not spread as easily as COVID-19, so you aren’t likely to get it from sitting next to someone in a classroom or at a restaurant.”
However, in a new document shared with teachers, faculty and staff, CMS provided clear instructions on how to curb the spread of monkeypox in schools this year.
“Mecklenburg County has reported one case in the pediatric population which suggests a low risk of monkeypox for students. However, it is possible for anyone to test positive for monkeypox,” CMS wrote in the document. “To minimize risk, students and staff should be encouraged to limit sharing of school supplies, drinks, utensils, and clothing.”
According to CMS, faculty and staff have also been provided instructions on what to do if a child in their class starts exhibiting symptoms of monkeypox. Steps school nurses and teachers will take if a case of monkeypox is suspected include:
Separate the child from other classmates and place them in a private space, such as an office
Wear a well-fitted mask and provide the child in question with one as well (if they are over 2 years of age)
Arrange for the child to be picked up by a caregiver
Avoid close contact with the child without compromising care of the student
Avoid touching rashes or sores
Wash hands routinely, especially after close contact with them
Disinfect the area
Throw away any contaminated clothes, gloves, garments, etc.
If the school nurse or the county or state health department determines there is a positive case of monkeypox among the student population, CMS states that infected students and any family members or siblings associated within the district must quarantine.
Anyone else who may have been exposed to the student but does not have any symptoms should be monitored for possible symptoms for 21 days “while resuming normal day-to-day activities,” according to the district.
The document also provided information on what a monkeypox case could look like, complete with a comprehensive list of symptoms including:
Flu-like symptoms
Fever and chills
Headache
Muscle ache
Backache
Swollen lymph nodes
Exhaustion and fatigue
A rash with a blister or pimple-like sores that can appear on any part of the body, including inside of the mouth
What’s the monkeypox infection risk for CMS students?
DHHS explained monkeypox poses a low risk to students, but it shouldn’t be taken any less seriously than other outbreaks.
“Nationally, children currently make up less than 1% of all monkeypox cases. Nearly all cases in North Carolina and nationally continue to be among men who have sex with men, which remains our population of primary focus for outreach and for our limited supply of vaccines,” DHHS told the Observer.
“However, anyone with unexplained rashes or lesions should contact their health care provider to be tested for monkeypox,” the department said. “There is ample capacity for testing in North Carolina.”
What about the ongoing spread of COVID-19?
Despite loosened regulations, coronavirus continues to spread around the state. DHHS identified more than 1,100 new COVID-19 cases in North Carolina within a span of two weeks, from Aug. 7 to Aug. 20.
DHHS has adopted updated Centers for Disease Control guidelines for COVID protocol in schools.
Statewide, schools no longer use contact tracing to exclude students from school after COVID exposure. Other guidelines recommended to North Carolina K-12 schools are:
Not requiring staff to report their vaccination status or be randomly tested if they are unvaccinated
Recommending masks in areas where the CDC has identified high levels of COVID-19 cases, but are not requiring it.
Eliminating social distancing (i.e. keeping students six feet apart)
Universal contact tracing is no longer recommended at K-12 schools in the state
Testing, proper ventilation, and consistent cleaning are all still encouraged
This story was originally published September 6, 2022 at 5:57 PM with the headline "CMS releases set of guidelines for staff amid monkeypox outbreak, COVID-19 spread."
