COVID-19

Any student or staff member who tests positive for COVID-19 must isolate at home for at least five full days, regardless of vaccination status. They can return to school or work on day 6 if:

• They have no symptoms, or symptoms are improving, AND
• They’ve had no fever in the past 24 hours without fever-reducing medication

Day 0 is the first day of symptoms. For those without symptoms, day 0 is the day of the positive 
test result. See the Isolation and Quarantine Calculator.

Report a positive test
If your child tests positive for COVID-19, contact your school's attendance coordinator. 

People potentially exposed to COVID-19 should:

• Monitor for symptoms, AND
• Test 3 to 5 days after exposure AND
• Wear a well-fitting and high-quality mask around others for 10 days after exposure

The Department of Health no longer requires students and staff exposed to COVID-19 to quarantine if they were potentially exposed to COVID-19. 

This flowchart created by the Washington State Department of Health shows the steps to follow when your child is sick with COVID-19 symptoms. If a child has any symptom listed, they should stay home in the morning or go home if these symptoms first occur at school.

Please keep your child home if they:

• Have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and have symptoms
• Have tested positive for COVID-19

When is my child too sick for school?

Required conditions for staying home

Tacoma Public Schools will continue to track illness and communicable disease trends and report them to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

• All Tacoma Public School students can get free iHealth COVID-19 rapid tests at school. Tests are available in a school's front office. These tests are intended to support the health and safety of our community by providing results at home, as soon as symptoms are detected. (Staff will receive two tests as well.) Tests are voluntary.
   
• You can  find other local testing options here

This flowchart created by the Washington State Department of Health shows the steps to follow when your child is sick. If a child has any symptom listed, they should stay home in the morning or go home if these symptoms first occur at school.

To keep others healthy, please keep your child home if they:

• Are sick
• Have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and have symptoms
• Have tested positive for COVID-19