CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — This school year, the Corpus Christi ISD is treating COVID-19 in the same way it does the flu.
It’s a far cry from past years, when there was so much uncertainty over the virus.
Shields, masks, social distancing and staying home for 10 days if you had COVID-19 were all used to try and slow the virus.
Many parents may not be aware of the changes to the district's COVID-19 policy, but the district is now following state guidelines which puts COVID-19 in the same category as the flu.
"We have had, you know, some people report that their students and some of their staff members have tested positive for COVID,” said CCISD Director of Student Health Services Veronica Sisk.
Sisk tells 3NEWS that COVID is now in the same category as the flu, according to new Texas State Department of Health Services guidelines.
"We used to have the policy, we were out 5 or 10 days at one time basically what they're saying is that this is a communicable disease much like the flu and we should treat it as such," she said.
Sisk said there have been a few COVID-19 cases throughout the schools after classes started back up after the summer break, but again it's being dealt with just like when someone has the flu.
You will need a doctor's note after five days of being absent.
"They're free to return to school once they have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications," she said.
Windsor Park Principal Kimberly Bissell said that while the days of plastic dividers separating students wearing masks in the classroom are over, COVID-19 is still taken seriously.
"Because when we do have a case of covid we do still fog we do a deep clean anytime we are aware and parents have been great about letting us know so we are still treating all of those major illnesses such as covid very seriously,” she said. “We would like to keep our kids safe and healthy at all costs."
Also, there is still plenty of tissue paper and hand sanitizer in all classrooms.
Kids have to wash their hands before and after eating and after someone who is coughing or sneezing.