LISBON — With schools starting across the county, the Columbiana County Health Department has provided school nurses with training including a flow chart to help them make decisions when a student gets symptoms at school.

Medical Services Administrator Jamie Elenz of the Health Department said she has been working with the school nurses and wants them to feel ready to make the necessary decisions when a student comes into their offices. They modified a flow chart from the Dayton Children’s Hospital.

“We’ve all sat in the seat of the unknown,” Elenz said. “We’re trying to arm them well with the information that we think is the most useful or the most helpful, because no one likes to sit in the seat of the unknown and make that decision when you don’t feel comfortable.”

Some of the higher risk symptoms Elenz said nurses are looking for with the most concern are a new cough, difficulty breathing, a loss of taste or smell, a fever higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, congestion and diarrhea.

With COVID-related congestion, Elenz points out the cases often involve someone who has a “fullness” across their nose and upper cheeks, a stuffiness that can’t be cleared it out by blowing their nose. Additionally, Elenz said many of the cases of children she has looked at, there is some sort of a gastrointestinal symptom such as diarrhea. There are also some low risk symptoms, such as nausea or vomiting, sore throat, headache and muscle weakness.

Elenz suggests anyone who has had a high risk symptom in the last 24 hours or two or more low risk symptoms should be evaluated by a healthcare provider. If a healthcare provider finds an alternate diagnosis, such as strept throat, the student may be able to return to school after isolating at home until their symptoms stop or they are going 24-hours without a fever.

However, if a parent does not take the student to the doctor or a student tests positive for coronavirus, the student will be isolated at home for a period of at least 10 days since their symptoms began. Then again they can return to school provided they have improving symptoms and no fever for 24 hours without fever reducing medicines.

Additionally, when someone tests COVID-19 positive, the health department will be notified and contact tracing will begin. Those who were in close contact to someone who tested positive for coronavirus, defined as closer than six feet to the person for longer than 15 minutes, should be quarantined at home for 14 days.

Elenz said the sick people are being isolated and the non-symptomatic close contacts should be quarantined.

She adds that if someone is showing symptoms and is not tested it is important they be out for 10 days. Elenz said children under 10 present some different symptoms than those 10 and older and spread the disease differently. Older students tend to show symptoms and spread the disease similar to an adult.

Additionally, if a child is sick over the weekend, Elenz said the parent needs to contact the child’s healthcare provider about their symptoms before sending them back to school, have them tested for coronavirus or keep the child home from school for 10 days.

Children are being tested less frequently right now, Elenz said, but if children need tested they can go to an urgent care facility or a rapid testing facility.

djohnson@mojonews.com