Illness & Spreadable Diseases Policies for Classes

Illness & Spreadable Diseases Policies for Classes

Effective April 1, 2024 (subject to change as needed)

Participation in CTM programming is contingent on agreeing to these procedures prior to registration. If you have questions or concerns about these policies, please contact education@ctmtheater.org.

Your health and well-being are important to CTM! These protocols ensure a safe and healthy environment for everyone and help reduce the transmission of infectious and spreadable illnesses like the flu, colds, Covid-19, strep, pink eye, etc., which can be easily transmitted throughout our community. We review this policy regularly and monitor local and national government sites for updates and recommendations.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS?

Please refer to the CDC for a list of respiratory viruses and symptoms, and to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for a list of communicable childhood illnesses and their symptoms.
Some examples include:
- Fever within the past 24 hours.
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea of an unknown cause.
- Combined symptoms of muscle or body aches, headache, and cough.
- Skin rashes or sores of an unknown source, such as severe redness of the eyes or white spots on your tonsils.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR STUDENT BECOMES SYMPTOMATIC:

Contact the Education Team and monitor your symptoms.
Keep your student home if you have any of the above mentioned symptoms.
If possible, take a test or consult a physician to find out if your student is infected with a virus. Testing does not change how likely the disease is to spread the virus but it can provide information to help your family make treatment and isolation choices.
If you test positive for Covid-19, precaution is the same as any other spreadable virus. Keep your student home until they are fever-free, and when around others, consider wearing a mask.

WHEN YOUR STUDENT CAN RETURN TO CLASS / CAMP:

Your student should be fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medicine) before considering a return. Please note that the first five days of the illness is when it is most contagious.
Regarding symptoms for transmissible illnesses (viral or non-viral), please refer to the WI Dept of Health to determine when the condition is no longer spreadable, and when you are able to return to class.
Take added precautions for the next 5 days. Your student may still be able to spread the virus, even if they are feeling better. They are less likely to be contagious, but it depends on how long they were sick or how sick you were.

WHAT YOUR FAMILY CAN DO TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS ILLNESSES AND COMMUNICABLE DISEASES:

Regularly immunize for respiratory illnesses such as the flu and Covid-19.
Wear a mask when you are feeling ill, especially if you have symptoms of a respiratory infectious illness.
Wash your hands frequently and cover your mouth when you cough.
Consider staying home if you develop a rash, hives, or breakouts of an unknown cause.
Clean frequently touched surfaces such as your phone, computer, door handles, etc.

WHAT CTM WILL DO TO PROTECT OUR TEAM AND ENVIRONMENT:

The following risk assessment procedures will always be adhered to mitigate the spread of an infectious illness.

We will provide N-95 masks and disinfecting supplies at CTM to anyone who needs them.
We will track public health authority sites to monitor major infectious illness breakouts and take appropriate steps when needed to address further actions.
We implement contract tracing when someone tests positive for any infectious illness and inform others who may have encountered them, all while protecting the confidentiality of the individual.
Our building is professionally cleaned on a regular basis and offers sanitizing supplies throughout the spaces.
If changes to our routine cleaning and sanitation need to be made due to an infectious disease outbreak, we will follow the Dane County Public Health Services safety protocol to ensure the health and safety of all.
Air filtration in the building(s) we work in exceeds the CDC air filtration expectations for any airborne contagion.