Health & Wellness

Vaccination Policy

MBS is not mandating the COVID-19 vaccine, but we are highly encouraging all eligible students to be fully vaccinated before the start of the academic year on September 9.

Vaccination is considered one of the most important tools in protecting our community against COVID-19.

Having a high percentage of fully-vaccinated students gives us the best chance of a relatively normal school year.

Students who have been vaccinated should submit their vaccination card to the Magnus Health portal.

Currently, vaccinated students are exempt from contact tracing.

Students who plan on traveling on MBS overnight trips, either internationally or domestically, will be required to be fully vaccinated.

When the COVID-19 vaccine receives full FDA approval, we will review and possibly amend this policy.

Vaccination Sites

Anyone 12 years of age or older may receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Visit the NJ Department of Health COVID-19 Information Hub for important vaccine information, including a list of vaccination sites:
https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine

Vaccination appointments can be made through Atlantic Health System: https://www.atlantichealth.org/conditions-treatments/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-vaccine.html#alerts 

Additional vaccination sites are located in North Jersey. Click one of the links below to schedule an appointment:

ShopRite: https://vaccines.shoprite.com
CVS: https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine
Walgreens: https://www.walgreens.com/find-care/vaccination/covid/19/landing
Rite Aid: https://www.riteaid.com/pharmacy/covid-qualifier

Timing for Vaccination

The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses 21 days apart. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose.

IMPORTANT: anyone 18 years of age or older is also eligible for the Moderna vaccine, which is administered in two doses 28 days apart. Again, a person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose.

New Jersey has lifted restrictions on travel, but NJDOH and the CDC have the following recommendations for travel.
 

Read more: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html

 

MBS will establish a standard of care for handling suspected cases of COVID-19 within the School community, following guidelines set by the NJDOH, the NJDOE, and the CDC.

Protocol for Suspected COVID-19 Cases

MBS will implement the following standards of care for suspected cases of COVID-19:

• Isolate the student and monitoring temperature and symptoms
• Ensure pick-up by a parent/guardian or emergency contact within one hour
• Have the Nurse’s Office staff escort the ill student to their car (when possible) to limit the number of visitors in the building

Close Contacts and Quarantines

Students who test positive for COVID will need to quarantine for 10 days and can only return to school after a 72-hour, symptom-free period.

Under current CDC policy, in a school setting (including school sports), students are considered close contacts and will need to quarantine if contact-traced when...

• Student is not fully vaccinated
• Within three feet of a masked or unmasked positive case for over 15 minutes during a 24-hour period 

OR

• Student is not fully vaccinated
• Unmasked and within six feet of a positive case for over 15 minutes during a 24-hour period

OR

• Student is not fully vaccinated
• Participating in a sports practice or game with a COVID-19 positive teammate or if a member of their advisory tests positive

Under current CDC policy, students in a school setting (including school sports) qualify as close contacts who do NOT need to quarantine, but who do need to MONITOR for symptoms, when...

• Student is fully vaccinated/or has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days. Proof of positive test should be with the nurse.
• Student should get a PCR test 5 days after exposure and report testing to nurse's office.
• Student was between 3 to 6 ft of a positive case and both students wore well-fitting masks the entire time.

QUARANTINE DURATION

Regional Risk is Red or Orange

• Quarantine at home for full 14 days
• There is no option to lessen quarantine length with a negative test

Regional Risk is Yellow or Green

• Quarantine at home for 10 days without a test
• Quarantine at home for 7 days with a negative PCR test result taken no earlier than day 5

When needed, contact tracing notifications will be done via email between 3:00-6:00 pm.

MBS is prepared to assist with contact tracing activities. Each member of the student body has been identified by county, and the MBS Nurse’s Office has contacts in place with the relevant local health departments to receive the latest reports and recommendations.

Families will report positive cases to the nurse, who will keep a confidential record to track students and coordinate return-to-school dates. Any students, faculty, and staff who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate at home for a minimum of 10 days, based on CDC recommendations and may not participate in extracurricular activities.

Returning to School Following a COVID-19 Diagnosis

Students who test positive for COVID-19 may only return to campus when the guidelines set by the CDC and the State of New Jersey have been met. These include:

• Following local health department guidance for exclusion and return to school
• Requiring students wait at least 10 days after first symptoms appeared AND be symptom-free AND go 72 hours fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication

Note: Those who test positive but show no symptoms must remain home for 10 days following the test.

Doctor note is required for return for athletics.

The Nurse’s Office will adjust staffing and processes to maintain safety. Changes include:

• Increased Nurse’s Office staff to manage students who are ill
• Midday cleanings by Nurse’s Office staff and support staff to disinfect doorknobs and other frequently-touched surfaces
• Thorough daily cleaning of the Nurse’s Office by custodians

All MBS students and faculty shall self-monitor their temperatures and any symptoms of COVID-19 prior to arriving at school and shall follow up with the Nurse’s Office as needed for further support and guidance.

Mask Policy

In accordance with the New Jersey Executive Order 251, MBS will mandate mask-wearing indoors for all students and faculty.

• All MBS students must arrive at school with a face mask brought from home; extra masks will be available in the Nurse’s Office in the event of loss or damage to a student’s mask. Students in flagrant violation of the School mask policy may be sent home.
• Masks must fit properly and must not have an exhaust valve.
• No gaiters, bandanas, or masks with lettering or non-school logos.
• Masks will not be required outdoors, unless students are gathered in large groups.
• Following CDC policy, masks are required on buses for all students.
• All faculty and staff will be responsible for enforcing proper use of PPE among students.

Dress Code

Normal (pre-2020) dress code will resume. Please refer to page 28 of the Family Handbook for details on the dress code at MBS.

Temperature Scans

All students, faculty and staff will have their temperature taken by a doorway scanner upon arrival each morning.

Surveillance Testing

Surveillance testing is intended to identify positive cases even if there is no reason to suspect infection.

During the academic year, MBS may use surveillance testing to identify asymptomatic cases and prevent secondary transmission.

The School has developed an implementation strategy for surveillance testing and may implement surveillance testing during periods of high community transmission and/or after school breaks.

Students who are required to participate in testing will have the option to test on their own and present a negative PCR test result within the designated time frame if they choose not to participate in the School's testing program.

If MBS initiates surveillance testing, students must be tested in order to be on campus.

All pre-season athletes and coaches who plan to be on campus for practice the week of August 30 must participate in surveillance testing, regardless of their vaccination status. The data received from this surveillance testing will help determine the need for future testing of our School community as we transition back to school.

Diagnostic Testing Policy and Procedures

MBS will maintain a limited supply of the Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Rapid Tests. In the event that a student is experiencing symptoms of illness during the school day, they will be sent to the Nurse’s Office for evaluation. If the School nurse determines that the symptoms are possible symptoms of COVID-19, she will administer a rapid test to the student. Prior to the administration of the test, the nursing staff will contact the parent/guardian or emergency contact for notification and consent to treat. The test consists of a lower nasal swab. If needed, the nurse will assist the student in taking the swab. The test results will be available in 15 minutes.

If the student tests positive, the parents/guardians will be informed and asked to pick up their child immediately. The student must then see a doctor and follow the School's’ required quarantine policy for positive COVID-19 cases. MBS will begin contact tracing at the end of the school day.

If the student tests negative but COVID-19 is still suspected, the parents/guardians will be notified and asked to pick up their child as soon as possible. In this scenario, the student can return to school when one of the following has occurred:

• They obtain a negative PCR test result and their symptoms have resolved
• They obtain a negative antigen test result taken no earlier than 36 hours following the school-administered antigen test and their symptoms have resolved
• They have followed the School's required quarantine policy for positive COVID-19 cases