Dripping Springs ISD adheres to the guidance  and expertise of state and local health authorities to safeguard students and staff from communicable diseases. The Texas Department of State Health Services has updated its Communicable Disease Chart, and as of March 24, 2024, COVID-19 is no longer classified as a reportable disease.

The new guidelines for COVID-19 are in line with those for influenza, RSV, and other common respiratory viruses. If an individual contracts COVID-19 or a respiratory virus, the revised advice suggests they stay home and avoid contact with others. To resume normal activities, the individual should show overall improvement in symptoms for at least 24 hours, and if there was a fever, it should have subsided without the use of fever-reducing medication. Upon returning to regular routines, students and staff are advised to follow additional preventive measures for the next five days to minimize the spread of diseases, such as practicing good hygiene, maintaining social distance, and possibly undergoing testing for respiratory viruses.

For more information:

• Texas Administrative Code, Title 25 Health Services, Chapter 97 - Communicable Diseases

• Texas DSHS Notifiable Conditions

• Texas DSHS Communicable Disease Chart