Bedbug protocol
- 1. Bed Bug Protocol<br />Introduction<br />Bed bugs are a growing nuisance in New York City. While bed bugs are a nuisance, their bites are not known to spread disease. The source of bed bugs often cannot be determined, as bed bugs are found in many places including homes, hotels, planes and public facilities in growing rates. Because bed bugs are increasingly present in the community we serve, we expect bed bugs will occasionally be brought into our school in clothing or belongings. Though schools are at high risk for exposure to bed bugs, schools are at low-risk for bed bug infestations because bed bugs are typically active at night when people are sleeping.<br />Bed Bug Protocol Guiding Principles:<br />Minimize disruption to instruction
- 2. Minimize risk of infestation in the school
- 3. Protect our staff, scholars, and families by mitigating the risk of spreading bedbugs to their homes
- 4. Avoid stigmatization of scholars who may have bedbugs in their homes
- 5. Minimize the spread of inaccurate information to staff, scholars, and families
- 6. Minimize the spread of anxiety among staff, scholars, and families
- 7. Because AF schools are typically co-located with DOE facilities, we must be cognizant of existing protocols established by DOE Department of Facilities and DOE Pest Management UnitBed Bug Preventive Measures:<br />To reduce the spread of bed bugs in the school environment, the following measures may be taken as deemed necessary by Achievement First:<br />To increase awareness of bed bugs, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Bed Bug fact sheet, “Stop Bed Bugs Safely”, and Achievement First’s Bed Bug Protocol will be distributed to staff and families via the weekly newsletter on an as needed basis
- 8. AF schools will allow voluntary plastic bagging of scholar and staff belongings to reduce the risk of bedbugs spreading from item-to-item and room-to-room
- 9. School staff will remain vigilant – In the event that a scholar has bite marks and is complaining of constant itching, the following steps will be taken:
- 10. Keep all suspected bed bug issues confidential.
- 11. Scholars suspected of having bed bug bites should bag their belongings until the school and/or parent/guardian elect to stop bagging because the threat of bed bugs has passed.
- 12. Notify the main office immediately.
- 13. The scholar’s parent/guardian should be notified.
- 14. The scholar should be allowed to remain in class (bed bug bites are not contagious or dangerous).Bed Bug Exposure Response:<br />If a suspected bed bug is found in the school or on a child’s clothing, the following steps should be taken:<br />Attempt to capture the bug (try not to crush the bug) and send to the specimen to the main office. Person Responsible: Staff member who sights the bug.
- 15. Note: If scholars are present, please capture the bug discreetly. Try not to draw attention to the presence of a bug, and do not mention “bed bugs”. We want to minimize the spread of inaccurate information and anxiety about bed bug infestation.
- 16. If the bug was found on a scholar, notify the scholar's parents/guardians. The scholar should not be removed from class or sent home. Person Responsible: Office Coordinator. Must call parent by phone and must speak with a parent/guardian directly (voicemail, leaving a message with another family member not acceptable).
- 17. If the bug was found on a scholar, and the scholar is not participating in voluntary bagging of his/her coat and book bag, the scholar’s belongings should be bagged in a large ziplock. Bagging should continue daily until the bug is determined not to be a bedbug, , or until such time as the school and/or the scholar’s family elect to discontinue this practice because the threat has passed. Person Responsible: Homeroom teacher.
- 18. If bug was found on a desk/chair, ask the custodian to isolate the furniture (i.e. put outside of the school/on the roof). Person Responsible: Director of School Operations.
- 19. Classes will proceed as normal unless informed otherwise by the school leadership team
- 20. Captured bugs will be sent to the Department of Education's Pest Management Unit for inspection per The New York City Department of Education Office of School Support Services Bed Bug Protocol for Schools within 24 hours. Person Responsible: Director of School Operations.If the Department of Education's Pest Management Unit confirms the specimen is a bedbug, the following steps will be taken:<br />The Department of Education’s Pest Management Unit will send a trained pest management contractor to inspect the room for a bed bug infestation. Person Responsible: Director of School Operations
- 21. All parents will be notified of the Department of Education’s Pest Management Unit's findings and next steps within 24 hours. Person Responsible: Director of School OperationsIf the Department of Education's Pest Management Unit determines the specimen is not a bedbug, then:<br />If specimen was found on scholar, parents/guardians of the scholar notified that specimen found was not a bedbug. Person Responsible: Director of School Operations