Respiratory Illness (COVID-19/Influenza/RSV) Response Plan

Respiratory Illness (COVID-19/Influenza/RSV) Response Plan 2023-24 School Year

Rush City Schools will continue with following directions from public health authorities when it relates to contagious illnesses.  Respiratory infections such as COVID-19, Influenza (and Influenza-like Illnesses), and RSV impact our schools due to illness absences of students and staff. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently (March 1, 2024) updated their isolation directions for those with COVID-19 to align with other respiratory illnesses. 

If your student in grades K-12 tests positive for COVID-19, influenza, or RSV, OR has symptoms of influenza-like-illness (ILI) or gastrointestinal illness:

  • Parents/guardians should report the COVID-19, influenza, ILI, etc., case to their school attendance line, just as they would any other illness.  (Please state the illness for our tracking purposes.)
    • C.E. Jacobson Elementary school: 320-358-4724
    • Rush City High School: 320-358-4795
  • Students and staff should stay home when they are sick. They can return when they are fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medications) AND symptoms have improved. (*Symptoms Improved:  A person feels well and is able to return to normal activities. Any lingering symptoms such as a cough or runny nose should be mild or infrequent.)
    • It is recommended that students and staff wear a mask for 5 days following these illnesses, especially if they will be near people who are susceptible to severe illness.
  • Parents/guardians/staff may still consult the School Nurse, Gretchen Cornelius, RN, if they have questions or need advice regarding returning to school.  [email protected]
  • The nurse will not routinely be following up with each case of COVID-19.
  • The Minnesota Department of Health has stated that they will continue to make at-home COVID-19 test kits available to schools through the end of this school year ~ parents/guardians/staff can still access these by contacting health services.  

We will report to MDH when/if 10% of our students (in one school) are absent due to COVID-19, influenza, influenza-like-illness (ILI), RSV, or gastrointestinal illness (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea). 

We cannot know how COVID-19 will change in the future.  Large outbreaks of COVID-19 or influenza could result in further communication or changes in our communicable disease plan.

Questions can be directed to the School Nurse, Gretchen Cornelius, RN,  [email protected] or Nurse Assistant, Katie Groh,CNA [email protected]

Please encourage children to continue washing hands, covering coughs, and not sharing food or beverages.

Per usual, if a student is ill and will be absent, please contact the front office.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Health Office.

Elementary 320-358-1364       High School 320-358-1360