Here's How Laguna Beach Unified Deals With COVID-19 Cases

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Classes are back in full swing at Laguna Beach Unified School District campuses following a winter break, and some parents may wonder what to do if their child ends up testing positive for COVID-19.

Orange County has experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the omicron variant of the coronavirus. Hospitalizations have exceeded 1,000 patients, and the county saw more than 11,000 new cases on Wednesday, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.

As of Thursday, 259 students and staff members in the district had tested positive for the virus in the last two weeks, according to the district's COVID-19 dashboard. Laguna Beach High School was the campus hit hardest by the virus relative to its size, with 121 students and staff members testing positive — about 10.6 percent of its population.

The district reported that 259 active cases are in isolation while 41 students are in quarantine because they were a close contact. Close contacts are considered people who were within six feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more within 24 hours.

Here's what happens if a child tests positive for COVID-19.

Informing The School

If a child tests positive or is suspected of having the coronavirus and is awaiting test results, parents must keep the child at home and notify the school's office, the district said.

Unvaccinated students must also stay home and inform the school if a member of the household tests positive.

Staff members must also inform schools if they test positive.

Reaching Out To Affected Individuals

Once a case is confirmed, the school will notify all families through ParentSquare, the district said.

"The school nurse, in partnership with the Orange County Health Care Agency, will begin the contact tracing process," the district said. "The school nurse will directly contact suspected close contacts via telephone or text, including parents of students and staff."

People who tested positive or were close contacts will then receive directions on what to do next, the district said.

"There are multiple decision factors for quarantine due to vaccination status, mask-wearing at time of exposure, location of exposure," according to the district. "The school nurse will carefully review and guide the parents on the required quarantine, if applicable."

Vaccinated Students Returning To School

A student who tested positive for the coronavirus must isolate for five days and may return to school after the fifth day if she shows no symptoms and has a negative test result, according to the California Department of Public Health.

If a student doesn't get tested, or if his symptoms improve, he may return to class after 10 days of self-isolation.

A student who has been vaccinated against the coronavirus and has been in close contact with someone who tested positive does not have to self-isolate, California health guidelines said.

The student does have to get tested after five days from being notified of the exposure and must wear a well-fitted face covering for 10 days when around other people.

Unvaccinated Students Returning To School

The return-to-school policy for unvaccinated students depends on face coverings being worn at the time of exposure, California health officials said.

If face coverings were not worn, a student must self-isolate for at least five days. After the fifth day, the student may return to class if she receives a negative test result. But she must wear a face covering for five more days.

If face coverings were worn, and no symptoms are present, a student may still attend class.

Students must not participate in extracurricular activities at school for at least 14 days, the California Department of Public Health said.

If a student does show symptoms after being exposed and wearing a mask, he must self-isolate for five days. A student can return to class if a negative test result is obtained after the fifth day and he no longer shows any symptoms.

City News Service contributed to this report.