The number of COVID cases is at an all-time high for Alabama K-12 students and staff with 9,195 cases being reported last week — and, as a result of the trend, parents are asking if school officials are following all the rules when it comes to notification and reporting of coronavirus.

Last year school officials were required to notify families when a child was identified as a close contact of any person who had tested positive for COVID; this year, schools only have to do one thing, and that is – report known positive cases to the state.

The Alabama Department of Public Health has recommended but not REQUIRED that school officials still notify families – and just like masks, any notifications are subject to local control.

Every school district is, however, required to develop an Emergency Operations Plan,  which should include just how school officials will respond to suspected, and positive cases of COVID at school.

The basic, to the point question is this:  Exactly what are schools required to do when it comes to COVID cases

The only thing that school officials are actually required to do is – notify the Alabama Department of Public Health of any suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 among any students or staff members.  Both school nurses and other officials are mandatory reporters of COVID – and other infectious diseases.  There’s an online report that school officials must complete that goes straight to the ADPH.

The ADPH requires COVID-positive persons to isolate for 10 days following the onset of symptoms or any positive test results – to have 24 hours without a fever or a fever-reducing medication, and to have symptoms improve before coming out of isolation.

The ADPH published guidance for school officials to use for determining just when a symptomatic student should be sent home and when they should return to school.

Schools CAN keep students, and staff, from attending classes if they’ve tested positive for COVID.

(For much more on this story visit AL.COM/www.al.com)