Schools and Child Care COVID-19
Parent and Caregiver Information

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) provides recommendations for schools, child care settings, youth programs, and camps to slow the spread of COVID-19. Different settings have varying requirements or processes for deciding which COVID-19 prevention strategies to use. Contact your child's program for more information about their specific requirements, recommendations, or strategies.

On this page:
When your child is sick or has been exposed
Vaccines
Testing
Operational guidelines for schools, child care, youth programs, and camps

When your child is sick or has been exposed

Your child can spread COVID-19 to others starting a couple days before they have any symptoms, and even if they never have any symptoms. If your child spent time close to someone with COVID-19, they may also have it, but you may not know that they do. It is important to keep them home when they are sick to keep from spreading the virus to others.

• Your child can go back to their normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:
  • Their symptoms are getting better overall, and
  • They have not had a fever (and are not taking fever-reducing medication)
• While the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) no longer recommends quarantine (staying home) after being around someone with (exposure to) COVID-19, it is still recommended that people take precautions, such as wearing masks, physical distancing, and/or testing when around other people indoors, whether or not they are vaccinated or have had a previous infection.
• Current CDC recommendations give steps that you can help your child take to avoid spreading respiratory viruses to others: CDC: Preventing Spread of Respiratory Viruses When You’re Sick.
• MDH strongly encourages staff of schools, child care, youth programs, and camps to follow steps to protect the health of children in their programs by:
  • Reporting when a child is sick
  • Managing the follow-up of sick children
  • Notifying people who have been around a sick child or staff member
  • Following these steps as much as possible while also considering educational needs, the social and emotional well-being of children, and the importance of children's access to learning and care

Vaccines

• CDC recommends that people age 6 months and older receive at least one 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine.
• The number of doses varies by age, vaccine, previous COVID-19 vaccines received, and whether the person has a weak immune system. For example, children age 6 months through 4 years may need more than one dose to be up to date. For more information on the vaccines, including recommended schedules visit CDC: Staying Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines.

• Parental or guardian consent is required for COVID-19 vaccination of children 17 years of age and younger, except under rare or special circumstances. (Refer to Minnesota Statutes, sections 144.341 through 144.347.) We encourage you to go with your child so you can ask questions and learn more about the vaccine.
  How to hold your child during a vaccination (PDF)
  Fact sheet with images and instructions for different comfort holds. Created in partnership with Homeland Health Specialists.
  Updated 6/17/22

  Other languages: How to hold your child during a vaccination  

  • How to hold your child during a vaccination in Amharic (PDF)
  • How to hold your child during a vaccination in Arabic (PDF)
  • How to hold your child during a vaccination in Chinese (PDF)
  • How to hold your child during a vaccination in French (PDF)
  • How to hold your child during a vaccination in Hmong (PDF)
  • How to hold your child during a vaccination in Karen (PDF)
  • How to hold your child during a vaccination in Lao (PDF)
  • How to hold your child during a vaccination in Oromo (PDF)
  • How to hold your child during a vaccination in Russian (PDF)
  • How to hold your child during a vaccination in Somali (PDF)
  • How to hold your child during a vaccination in Spanish (PDF)
  • How to hold your child during a vaccination in Vietnamese (PDF)

• Because children and youth with specialized health needs and disabilities may be at higher risk for more severe illness from COVID-19, families and caregivers are asked to strongly consider vaccinating children who have any underlying health condition or disability if they are 6 months of age or older.
  COVID-19 Vaccine for Youth with Special Needs or Disabilities: Information for Caregivers (PDF)
  Includes guidance for requesting accommodations when making appointments or arriving at a vaccine site.
  Updated 9/18/24

  Other languages: Youth with Special Needs or Disabilities  

  • COVID-19 Vaccine for Youth with Special Needs or Disabilities in Hmong (PDF)
  • COVID-19 Vaccine for Youth with Special Needs or Disabilities in Somali (PDF)
  • COVID-19 Vaccine for Youth with Special Needs or Disabilities in Spanish (PDF)

Testing

• Please check with your child care provider or school district to see if they have testing requirements or if they are offering a regular testing program.
• There are several COVID-19 testing options available, including clinics,  and self-tests that you can take at home.
• COVID-19 Community Testing: Free testing offered by community partners, with options for infants and kids.

Operational guidelines for schools, child care, youth programs, and camps

MDH recommends that schools, child care, youth programs, and camps implement a core set of infectious disease prevention strategies as part of their normal operations and layer additional prevention strategies specific to COVID-19 to the extent possible in response to changing local situations, including periods of increased community health impacts from COVID-19. This guidance can also help prevent the spread of other infectious diseases and support healthy learning environments for all.

• Schools and Child Care COVID-19: Best Practice Recommendations and Case Reporting