COVID-19 Protocols

School Policy on

Cases of COVID-19

⛑ Protect yourself and others around you by knowing the facts and taking appropriate precautions. Follow advice provided by your local health authority.

⛑ To prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- Clean your hands often. Use soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Maintain a safe distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Wear a mask when physical distancing is not possible.
- Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
- Cover your nose and mouth with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- Stay home if you feel unwell.
If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention.

⛑ Calling in advance allows your healthcare provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This protects you, and prevents the spread of viruses and other infections.
⛑ COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. Most infected people will develop mild to moderate illness and recover without hospitalization.

⛑ Most common symptoms:
- fever
- dry cough
- tiredness

⛑ Less common symptoms:
- aches and pains
- sore throat
- diarrhoea
- conjunctivitis
- headache
- loss of taste or smell
a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes

⛑ Serious symptoms:
- difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- chest pain or pressure
- loss of speech or movement

⛑ Seek immediate medical attention if you have serious symptoms. Always call before visiting your doctor or health facility.

⛑ People with mild symptoms who are otherwise healthy should manage their symptoms at home.

⛑ On average it takes 5–6 days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show, however it can take up to 14 days.
⛑ Call your healthcare provider or COVID-19 hotline to find out where and when to get a test.

⛑ Cooperate with contact-tracing procedures to stop the spread of the virus.

⛑ If testing is not available, stay home and away from others for 14 days.

⛑ While you are in quarantine, do not go to work, to school or to public places. Ask someone to bring you supplies.

⛑ Keep at least a 1-metre distance from others, even from your family members.

⛑ Wear a medical mask to protect others, including if/when you need to seek medical care.

⛑ Clean your hands frequently.

⛑ Stay in a separate room from other family members, and if not possible, wear a medical mask.

⛑ Keep the room well-ventilated.

⛑ If you share a room, place beds at least 1 metre apart.

⛑ Monitor yourself for any symptoms for 14 days.

⛑ Call your health care provider immediately if you have any of these danger signs: difficulty breathing, loss of speech or mobility, confusion or chest pain.

⛑ Stay positive by keeping in touch with loved ones by phone or online, and by exercising at home.

⛑ Medical treatments
Scientists around the world are working to find and develop treatments for COVID-19.

⛑ Optimal supportive care includes oxygen for severely ill patients and those who are at risk for severe disease and more advanced respiratory support such as ventilation for patients who are critically ill.

⛑ Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid that can help reduce the length of time on a ventilator and save lives of patients with severe and critical illness.

⛑ WHO does not recommend self-medication with any medicines, including antibiotics, as a prevention or cure for COVID-19.

* For more information about Coronavirus and ways to prevent it, please visit World Health Organization website.

UIA Members

All UIA members must check their temperature at home each morning before coming to school. It helps to know what your normal temperature is and also if you are well enough to come to school. Temperature should be measured without the use of fever-reducing medicines (medicines that contain ibuprofen or acetaminophen).

UIA Students

Students will be sent home early from school if they have one of the following symptoms: • fever 37.5 or above.

• persistent cough (have a cough lasting for an hour OR have had 3 or more episodes of coughing in 24 hrs OR coughing more than usual).

• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing sore throat

• diarrhea

• nausea or vomiting loss of taste/smell

• severe runny nose or runny nose which color is not clear conjunctivitis

• severe sense of fatigue

• Students will be sent home early from school if they have 2 (or more) of the following symptoms;

fatigue, muscle aches, stomachache, headache, joint pain, conjunctivitis, sore throat, sputum, congestion or runny nose which color is unknown or clear

Policy for ill students/staff

⛑ If students/staff have only one mild symptom e.g. a sore throat and if it completely disappears in 24 hours the person is allowed to return to school without consulting with a doctor. The student/staff needs to be ever/symptom free for 24 hours before returning to school.

⛑ Students who do not attend school because of COVID-19 symptoms have to notify the details of the health condition to the Principal and School Heads each morning. The school nurse will contact parents if necessary.

⛑ Students/staff with 2 or more symptoms or persistent (more than 24 hours) COVID-19 symptoms should follow the guidelines from the government (please find the details from the link https://stopcovid19.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/flow). If the symptoms continue for more than 24 hours please consult a doctor to check. Depending on Doctor’s advice see 2, 3 or 4 below.

⛑ For severe symptoms such as shortness of breath, severe sense of fatigue, or high fever (38.4 and above*) or you are taking and need to remain on an antipyretic (fever reducing medicine), call your doctor or medical institution immediately or Tokyo COVID- 19 call centre (0570 550 571) (9am-10pm) or Tokyo Corona Support Center (0120-296-004) (10am-5pm)

⛑ A mild/high fever will vary depending on the person’s normal temperature, A rise of 1 degree above normal temperature is usually an indicator of a fever.
⛑ Ask the doctor when they can return to school (please make sure that they are fever/symptom free for 24 hours before returning to school).
⛑ When all symptoms have disappeared and the individual is symptom free for 24 hours they can return to school.
⛑ Follow the instructions from the ward health centre. Inform school immediately by emailing the Principal and School Heads if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 or confirmed as a close contact.

Policy for family members

⛑ If an ill family member has a mild fever or cold symptoms such as sore throat, their family members are allowed to come to school. If the symptom is persistent and/or severe such as shortness of breath or severe sense of fatigue or high fever, all family members have to stay home. Also, if more than 2 family members are unwell with Covid-19 symptoms the whole family has to stay home.

⛑ If the ill family member subsequently is having a PCR test or has had a PCR test the whole family has to stay home until they receive the result.

⛑ If the result is negative the family can return to school if they are symptom free If the result is positive all family members must immediately isolate and follow instructions from the ward health centre.
⛑ Do not come to school.

⛑ Follow the instructions from the ward health centre. If student/staff has a PCR test due to the close family member’s situation then: follow ward office instructions about returning to school (will likely have to quarantine for 14 days) If it is positive follow ward health centre instructions
⛑ A family member returning from overseas should get a PCR test at the airport, if this is negative other family members can come to school.

⛑ If the result is positive, the whole family has to follow the advice from the ward heath centre (assuming the ill person does not return home but goes straight to hospital and is isolated, the family can come to school).

Additional Items Related to the COVID-19 Policy

• Any staff, student, or parent who has tested positive for COVID-19 or who meets the current legal definition for being in “close contact” with a COVID-19 patient, must communicate with the school regularly to continuously update on the status of the situation.

• All UIA community members are required to respect the medical privacy of other members of our community. At no time is it ok to share the private medical information of another community member without their express consent.

• If any staff member or student is unable to attend school due to being diagnosed with COVID-19, an action plan will be developed on a case by case basis that will outline how that staff member or student can navigate their responsibilities during their absence.