COVID-19 ToolKit

Recent DOE Updates

• 3.2.22 Mills Administration Announces Update to School and Child Care Masking Recommendations
• 2.25.22 U.S. Secretary Cardona’s Letter to School and Early Childhood Communities 
• 1.18.22 Additional Clarifications on SOP
• 01.12.22 Updated Guidance for Pooled Testing; Updated SOP
• Older Updates...
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Testing

• Information for both Pooled Testing and Antigen Testing are available below. Skip to Pooled Testing
• Pooled Testing Memorandum (01.11.2022)
• At Home Testing Guidance (2.28.2022)
• Rapid Antigen Testing Guidance For School-Based Testing (4.6.2022)
• Parent Information Sheet - Home COVID Test (4.25.2022) Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, French, Khmer, Kinyarwanda, Portuguese, Somali, Swahili,  Vietnamese
• Antigen Testing Only
• Getting started:
  
  Step 1: CLIA Waiver Instructions for schools | Apply for CLIA Waiver: Application ($180.00 application fee per district, good for 2 years)
  Step 2: Once CLIA Waiver number is assigned, apply for BinaxNOW Test kits (40 test cards per kit). Application/Reapplication for BinaxNOW Ag Test Cards. Please note: This does have an auto confirmation of receipt. 
  Step 3: Set up Reporting in RedCap reporting system using steps below:
    -  REDcap Online reporting for point of care (POC) testing: RedCap Reporting of Antigen tests conducted in school settings (Contact redcap.dhhs@maine.gov for further questions)
    -  Reporting Documents
   
• More Antigen Testing Resources:
• BinaxNOW School-Based Testing Guidance (10.21.21)
• BinaxNOW product expiration extension (1.7.2022)
  Sample Parent Letter
  Sample Permission Form (Updated 4.8.21)
  Sample Consent Form: Staff
  What to Expect During Testing
• Pooled Testing Only
• Getting started: A Quick Reference for Pooled Testing
  If Antigen testing is already in place skip to step three.
  
  Step 1: CLIA Waiver Instructions for schools | Apply for CLIA Waiver: Application ($180.00 application fee per district, good for 2 years)
  Step 2: Once CLIA Waiver number is assigned, apply for BinaxNOW Test kits (40 test cards per kit). Application/Reapplication for BinaxNOW Ag Test Cards. Please note: This does have an auto confirmation of receipt. 
  Step 3: Set up Reporting in RedCap reporting system using steps below:
    -  REDcap Online reporting for point of care (POC) testing: RedCap Reporting of Antigen tests conducted in school settings (Contact redcap.dhhs@maine.gov for further questions)
    -  Reporting Documents
  Step 4: Complete Pooled Testing Application for schools.
• Testing Resources:
• CDC School Testing for COVID-19 (letters, social media, and other resources to help schools communicate with parents & communities)
  Pooled Testing Guidance (Updated 8.17.21)
  Pooled Testing Overview
  Statement of Assurances
  Maine Vendor for Pooled Testing (Ginkgo website) 
  Recorded Webinars about Pooled Testing

COVID-19 Vaccine Resources

• Find current information from Maine DOE regarding COVID-19 Vaccines.

  Visit Maine DOE's Vaccine Page

• Should I go to Work or School After Vaccine?
• Maine CDC Info about Vaccinations
• Facts about Covid-19 Vaccine: Helping to Educate Maine
• Maine high school students talk about why they got vaccinated against COVID-19 (WMTW)
• The Science Behind the COVID-19 Vaccine: Parent FAQs (American Academy of Pediatrics) As the COVID-19 vaccines become available for younger age groups, many parents will have questions. This article helps parents understand how the vaccines safely and effectively teach the immune system to recognize and fight COVID-19. Also available here in Spanish.
• CDC Vaccine toolkit “National Study of Youth Opinions on Vaccination for COVID-19 in the U.S.,” (Journal of Adolescent Health)
• COVID-19 Vaccine:  Helping to Educate Maine, Part 3 Youth 12 and up
• Vaccine Resources for Kids and Teens (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)
• Public Health Communication Resources
• COVID-19 Booster Shot 
• Pfizer Vaccine Announcement ages 5+ 
• Should I get my child vaccinated ages 5+

Safety Guidance

• Health and Safety Guidance for PreK-12 Schools in Maine  (7/15/21)

• Confronting COVID-19-Related Harassment in Schools (5/12/21)

• Disinfecting wipes | Updated 11/4/20

• Utilization of alternative sites | Updated 11/4/20

• Use of Tents | Updated 12/29/20

• Use of Hand Sanitizer in Educational Buildings | Updated 11/4/20

School Health Resources

• School Nurse Fit Testing Cadre
• Respiratory Protection Program Information (RPP)
• Pre-screening Tool (Translated Versions NOW AVAILABLE HERE)  | Updated: 10.19.21
• COVID-19 Symptom Checker (U.S. CDC)
• Assessing a Symptomatic Child (MAAP Algorithm)

Archived Documents, Information & Resources

• Framework for Reopening Schools and Returning to In-Person Instruction
• Color Coded County Risk Levels (US CDC Maine Data)
• 2020-2021 Instructional Models for Maine Public Schools 
• COVID-19 Cases in Maine PreK to 12 Schools
• Use of BinaxNOW Testing During Winter Break (12.07.21)

COVID-19 Community Resources 

• COVID-19 Symptom Checker (U.S. CDC)
• What is Isolation? (3.17.2022)  What is Quarantine? (2.9.2022)
• CDC Stop the Spread of Germs Flyer English | Translated
• COVID-19 Fact Sheets from COVID-19 Health Literacy Project (Translations)
• Community Care Support Information (Maine DHHS) - services for families that need support in isolation or quarantine: English | Arabic | Azerbaijani | Croatian | Dari | Farsi | French | Hindi | Khmer | Kinyarwanda | Kirundi | Lingala | Pashto | Portuguese | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Swahili | Telugu | Vietnamese
• Airborne vs. Droplet (Video | Medmastery)
• COV-Ed: Mythbusters! COVID-19 Edition (The University of British Columbia (UBC) Medicine - Educational Media).
• Coronavirus Explained To Children (Video | Eurac Research)
• COVID-19 Resources for Children with Special Health Care Needs (The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health)
• COVID-19 Printables (The Health Design Studio | Training & Professional Development Resources available in multiple languages)
• Individuals with Asthma

More Maine DOE COVID-19 Resources

• Federal Relief Programs (CRF/ESSER/EANS)Information
• COVID-19 School Nutrition Information
• Special Services COVID-19 Resources
• Maine Safety Center Maine Portal Site for COVID-19
• Maine CDC Coronavirus Updates
• School Closing Due to Covid-19 Form

MAINE 211 - Free, confidential information and referral services related to COVID-19  - Visit Maine 211

FrontLine WarmLine  - Available  8 AM to 8 PM, 7 days a week for educators and school staff by calling (207) 221-8196 or text the word "frontline" to 898-211 for support managing anxiety and stress.