COVID-19 Symptoms, Exposure, and Diagnosis Protocols
The protocols below are written for parents/students, but the same protocols are in effect for Waynflete employees.
- A student or employee has any symptoms of COVID-19
- A student or employee has been diagnosed with COVID-19
- A student or employee has been deemed a close contact (indoors, unmasked). We will need to know how long the exposure lasted, whether it was a single or continuous exposure, and whether the individual is symptomatic.
If an individual is symptomatic, has been diagnosed with COVID-19, or has had an exposure, they must be cleared by the health team prior to returning to campus.
Individuals experiencing symptoms
Individuals experiencing symptoms can select one of three options for returning to campus.
Inform the health team that your child is symptomatic by email or through RUVNA. Maine DOE gives three options for returning back to campus:
- The individual can be assessed by a provider for an alternate diagnosis.
- The individual can obtain a COVID-19 test following protocol below.
- The individual may remain home for five days.
Option 1 guidelines – assessment by a provider
- If a provider documents an alternate diagnosis for the symptoms (other than COVID-19), and clears the student to return, send documentation to the Health Team. The student may return to school with Health Team clearance once their symptoms are improving or not worsening and they are also fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
Option 2 guidelines – testing
- Test prior to being cleared to return to campus using any of the three testing options listed below. (Only options 1 and 2 are acceptable for individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19—rapid home tests will not be accepted.)
- Molecular/NAAT test (easily accessible at the Jetport—results available within 1-2 hours)
- PCR test (easily accessible at the Cross Arena—results available within 1-2 days)
- Two home rapid tests within 24-48 hours of each other, per manufacturer instructions. You may attend school after the first test result if you remain masked, but you must send the second test results. (Note: health insurance companies are required to reimburse their members for 100% of the cost of home tests. So keep your receipts for submission! Households can also obtain two sets of free COVID-19 tests from the US government and another set from Project ACT.)
- If the test result is negative and symptoms are improving, and the individual is also fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications, send test results to to be cleared for return.
- Wear a well-fitted mask at all times at school until symptoms have fully resolved.
Option 3 guidelines – quarantine
- If there is no assessment by a provider, and a COVID-19 test is not obtained, the individual must remain home for five days and wear a mask both indoors and outdoors for days 6-10 on campus.
Individuals who experienced a one-time exposure
- Individuals may continue to attend school but must monitor carefully for symptoms
- Test daily before school for seven days after exposure. Home rapid tests are acceptable. (Note: health insurance companies are required to reimburse their members for 100% of the cost of home tests. So keep your receipts for submission! Households can also obtain two sets of free COVID-19 tests from the US government and another set from Project ACT.)
- Wear a well-fitted, high-quality KN95-type mask on campus, indoors and outdoors, for seven days following exposure. Masks are required indoors for sports but are optional outdoors.
- Take a non-rapid PCR or molecular/NAAT test on day five (or as close as possible to day five) after exposure. Send results to .
Individuals experiencing high-risk exposure (i.e., continuous/household or unvaccinated)
- Take a non-rapid PCR or molecular/NAAT test upon learning of exposure. Send results to .
- Individuals may attend school with negative results from a non-rapid PCR or molecular/NAAT test but must monitor carefully for symptoms
- Test daily before school for seven days after exposure. Home rapid tests are acceptable. (Note: health insurance companies are required to reimburse their members for 100% of the cost of home tests. So keep your receipts for submission! Households can also obtain two sets of free COVID-19 tests from the US government and another set from Project ACT.)
- Wear a well-fitted, high-quality KN95-type mask on campus, indoors and outdoors, for seven days following exposure. Masks are required indoors for sports but are optional outdoors.
- Take a non-rapid PCR or molecular/NAAT test on day five (or as close as possible to day five) after exposure. Send results to .
Please note: If the individual who tested positive is not fully isolating from the others in the household, there is an increased chance that transmission will occur among family members. It is always best to keep the individual isolated from others and wearing a high-quality, well-fitted KN95-type mask in the home if the individual must interact with other household members.
Individuals who test positive for COVID-19
- Inform the health team of the diagnosis and follow all CDC requirements.
- Stay home for at least five days (CDC defines day one as the day after the positive test).
- On day 6, if the individual has no symptoms or symptoms are resolving, and they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication, they may take a rapid-test to be cleared to return. (Note: health insurance companies are required to reimburse their members for 100% of the cost of home tests. So keep your receipts for submission! Households can also obtain two sets of free COVID-19 tests from the US government and another set from Project ACT.)
- Rapid test to return to school:
- On the morning of day six, the individual may test with an antigen test (a PCR or Molecular/NAAT test could show a positive result for up to 90 days) to determine whether they are now negative.
- Use a home rapid antigen test and send a photo to or contact the health team and we will provide a rapid test prior to school that morning.
- If the rapid test is still positive on day six, the individual can try again each day (between days 6-10) until the test is negative.
- The individual may return to school on any day between day 6-10 that they have a negative rapid test.
- The individual may return to school on day 11 regardless of the rapid test result.
- Per CDC and Waynflete, individuals who return before day 11 are REQUIRED to wear a well fitting KN95-type mask from days 6-10, indoors and outdoors.
- If the individual is in the EC program, they may need to return for half-days only during days 6-10 as we can’t accommodate unmasked nap time. Please discuss with the health team for more information.
Athletes returning after COVID-19 diagnosis
Athletes must be cleared to return to play by the health team after a COVID-19 diagnosis per MAAP guidelines. Student athletes must follow a gradual return to play plan (link) and be cleared by their physician prior to resuming play (link). Please contact Waynflete’s athletic trainer for additional information. (Note: health insurance companies are required to reimburse their members for 100% of the cost of home tests. So keep your receipts for submission! Households can also obtain two sets of free COVID-19 tests from the US government and another set from Project ACT.)
Testing locations
If an individual is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19, we recommend contacting their primary care provider as their facility may provide COVID-19 testing. Below is a list of additional options for local test sites. This information is subject to change. It is best to call the site or consult their website to confirm information prior to your visit.
- Portland Jetport testing – Free NAAT (molecular) and sometimes PCR tests. It is open for walk-in testing daily (even if the website says no walk-ins available, they most likely allow walk-ins), and results return (1-2 hours usually quicker)
- Cross Insurance Arena – this site offers free PCR tests results return in 1-2 days.
- COVID-19 testing in Maine – this site allows you to select testing sites by county and type of test (some sites may be free if part of the state swab and send program)
- Get tested COVID-19.org
- Convenient MD – various locations
- Northern Light – Mercy Fore River – Portland
- CVS – various locations
- Walgreens – various locations
- AFC Urgent Care – South Portland
- Mid Coast/Parkview Health drive-through – Brunswick
- Southern Maine Health – Saco
