Schools and Child Care COVID-19
Best Practice Recommendations

On this page:
Reporting cases of COVID-19
Operational guidelines for schools child care, youth programs, and camps
Isolation and quarantine
Supplemental guidance for schools
Additional resources

Reporting cases of COVID-19

Minnesota Rule 4605.7070 requires any person in charge of any institution, school, child care facility, or camp to report cases of COVID-19 to MDH.

Use COVID-19 Case Report Form for K-12 Schools, Childcares, and Youth Programming (Camps, Sports, Extracurricular Activities) to report each child, youth, or staff member who receives a positive test result.

Schools, child care, youth programs, and camps should implement layered prevention strategies to the extent possible to reduce COVID-19 transmission risk while also considering educational needs, the social and emotional well-being of children, and the importance of children's access to learning and care.

• Best Practices for Handling a Confirmed Case of COVID-19 (PDF)
  Information for schools, child care, youth programs, and camps.
  Updated 3/1/22

Operational guidance 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. While written for COVID-19 prevention, this guidance can also help prevent the spread of other infectious diseases and support healthy learning environments for all.

• CDC: Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning
  This guidance applies to schools, child care, youth programs, and camps.
  
  
• CDC: Frequently Asked Questions for K-12 and Early Care and Education (ECE) Settings: Information for School and ECE Administrators, Teachers, Staff, and Parents
  
  
• CDC: Frequently Asked Questions for Directors of Overnight Camps

Isolation and quarantine

The guides below reflect current CDC recommendations regarding when to isolate and quarantine and for how long depending on a person's ability to wear a mask consistently.

• COVID-19 Isolation Guide for Schools, Child Care, and Youth Programming (PDF)
  For people who are sick or test positive.
  3/15/22
  
  Other languages: COVID-19 Isolation Guide

  • COVID-19 Isolation Guide for Schools, Child Care, and Youth Programming in Hmong (PDF)
  • COVID-19 Isolation Guide for Schools, Child Care, and Youth Programming in Somali (PDF)
  • COVID-19 Isolation Guide for Schools, Child Care, and Youth Programming in Spanish (PDF)
• COVID-19 Quarantine Guide for Schools, Child Care, and Youth Programming (PDF)
  For people who are in close contact (exposed) to a person with COVID-19.
  3/15/22
  
  Other languages: COVID-19 Quarantine Guide

  • COVID-19 Quarantine Guide for Schools, Child Care, and Youth Programming in Hmong (PDF)
  • COVID-19 Quarantine Guide for Schools, Child Care, and Youth Programming in Somali (PDF)
  • COVID-19 Quarantine Guide for Schools, Child Care, and Youth Programming in Spanish (PDF)

Supplemental guidance for schools

• Recommendations for Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Delivering Direct Student Support Services (PDF)
  This document provides strongly recommended practices to school staff on the type of protective equipment that will be needed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission when delivering direct student support services.
  Updated 3/24/22

Additional resources

• Infectious Diseases in Childcare Settings and Schools Manual
  Hennepin County infectious disease manual. See section 2 – Guidelines: Environment – Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfecting.