Childcare & School Resources
If you have a question related to an outbreak in a school or childcare setting, please call the Health Department COVID-19 Information line at 410-313-6284.
Guidance for Optional Masking in Childcare and Early Childhood Education
Community Update Letter from Health Officer Dr. Maura Rossman (Feb. 25, 2022)
The CDC has updated its recommendations for Quarantine & Isolation in schools and childcare facilities. You can review the updated guidance here.
- Updated Memo from the Maryland Department of Health/Maryland State Department of Education
- Updated COVID Mitigation Efforts in HCPSS Schools
- HCHD School Guidelines for Isolation following a positive COVID-19 test or Quarantine following an identification as a close contact
- HCHD Isolation & Quarantine Special Situations Q&A
COVID-19 Information and Resources for Childcare & Schools
- MDH Notice - Face Covering Recommendation
- K-12 School and Childcare COVID-19 Guidance
- State of Maryland - Safely Reopening Maryland's Schools
- MDH/MSDE K-12 COVID-19 Testing Program Guidebook
- MDH Resources for Schools and Child Care
- MSDE Face Coverings in School Facilities
- Interim K-12 School and Child Care COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Guidance
- Know What to Expect at Your Child’s K- 12 School or Child Care Program
- CDC For Parents: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associat…
- Howard County Infographic about Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome
- Howard County Office of Children and Families
- Frequently Asked Questions for Parents and Caregivers about COVID-19 Precaution…
- What You Should Know About COVID-19 Testing in Schools
- K-12 School and Childcare COVID-19 Guidance
- COVID-19 Guidance for Operating Early Care and Education/Child Care Programs
- CDC Guidance for Operating Youth & Summer Camps during COVID-19 (May 28, 2021)
- MDH Notice - Face Covering Recommendation
- FAQs and Guidance for Child Care Providers during COVID-19
- Interim K-12 School and Child Care COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Guidance
emocha COVID-19 Contact Tracing for Schools
The Howard County Health Department offers Contact Tracing support for schools using the secure, HIPAA compliant emocha Health system. If you have a question about your school's participation in this Contact Tracing program, please call 410-313-6284.
The County's public and private schools will be identifying close contacts to COVID-19 cases and submitting the student's information to the health department for quarantine monitoring. After the health department receives the information, the student/parent/guardian will be contacted via text message to download the emocha app on their phone and enroll the student in the program. This mobile health monitoring program will evaluate symptoms and ask about positive test results, on a daily basis, until quarantine has ended. This program will allow the health department to accurately follow outbreaks and assist with quickly identifying new cases.
emocha Health Contact Tracing for Schools Fact Sheet
emocha Health Contact Tracing for Schools Fact Sheet (Spanish)
- Governor Hogan, State Superintendent of Schools Announce Return of Fall Sports (September 24, 2020)
- State of Maryland Safely Reopening Schools - Decision Tree (August 31, 2020)
- FAQs Guidance for Childcare Settings (July 1, 2020)
- CDC COVID-19 Interim Guidance for Schools
- CDC Family Checklists for Going Back to School (Updated July 23, 2020)
- COVID-19 and Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome
- Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with COVID-19
