Department
01110 of Health

Mike DaWine, Governor Lance D. Himes. interim Director
Jon Husted, Lt.Govemor

ORDER

Re: Director?s Order Requiring Reporting and Noti?cation Regarding COVID-19 Cases in
Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade Schools

1, Lance Himes, Interim Director of the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). pursuant to the
authority granted to me in RC. 3701.13 to "make special orders. . .for preventing the spread of

contagious or infectious diseases" Order the following to prevent and minimize the spread of
COVID-19 in the State of Ohio:

1. To facilitate timely contact tracing and prevent further transmission of all
schools that provide any kindergarten through grade twelve instruction shall maintain a reporting
system for parents to report positive tests and/or cases of COVID- 1 9. Schools may use an existing
attendance line, school nurse line, or attendance tracking system. so long as it is monitored on a
daily and allows the reporting of a case.

2. Effective September 8. 2020, parents or guardians of students and school staff who have
been diagnosed with whether by laboratory test or through clinical examination are
encouraged to notify their school no later than twenty-four (24) hours after receiving a con?rmed
diagnosis.

3. A school district or school shall name a coordinator to facilitate repmting of
case information. A school district or school shall provide the name and contact information of
their coordinator to the local health department. Upon request, districts or schools shall
provide the local health department with a copy of their reopening or pandemic operating plan.

4. Within twenty-four (24) hours of becoming aware of a student. teacher, staff member, or
coach who has tested positive or been diagnosed with a school shall notify parents or
guardians of students of the existence of the case in writing and share as much information as
possible without disclosing protected health information.

a) Written noti?cation ofa positive test or case shall be sent to the parents or guardians of all
students who share a classroom space or have participated in a school activity during the
infectious period of a student. teacher, staff member, or coach.

b) Written noti?cation shall also be provided to all parents or guardians of students at the
school building notifying them of a positive test result. This schoolwide noti?cation may
be made using email or an established website. Schools are required to provide this
noti?cation with each case, although schools are permitted to consolidate noti?cations if
necessary. 

246 North High Street 614 I 466-3543
Columbus. Ohio 43215 U.S A odh ohio gov

The State of Ohio is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider of ADA Serwces

c) Schools may use noti?cation templates available on the coronavirusohio. gov website.

d) School districts and individual schools are encouraged to use website dashboards to inform
the school community of the number of OVID- 9 cases and number of students and staff
isolated or quarantined, if known.

5. Within twenty-four (24) hours of becoming aware of a student, teacher, staff member, or
coach who tests positive or is diagnosed with each school shall report the case(s) to
their local health department. Schools can use the reporting template located on the
coronavirusohiogov website.

6. Effective September 15, 2020. local health departments shall report the number of newly
reported and cumulative positive tests or diagnosed cases in each school or school
district for the previous reporting week, as applicable. to the Ohio Department of Health every
Tuesday.

7. The Ohio Department of Health shall publish aggregate weekly and cumulative case data
by school, if not associated with a district, or school district including a breakdown by students
and staff every Thursday. This information will be published on coronavirusohiogov.

8. This Order shall be effective at 1 1:59 pm. on September 3. 2020.

Accordingly I hereby ORDER that all kindergarten through twelfth grade schools must report all
cases of OVID 19 1n their schools and provide noti?cation to parents and guardians. This Order
shall remain in full force and effect until the Director of ODII rescinds or modi?es this Order at a

sooner time and date.

f?/M September 3. 2020

?ance D. Himes
Interim Director Health

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