Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Important Information and Resources
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Free COVID Tests Again Available to Order for Use at Home
Free at-home COVID testing is now available to all U.S. households. Every home is eligible to order a set of 8 at-home tests. Go to https://www.covid.gov/tests to order your free tests. Order shipping time is approximately 7-12 days.
-Updated on 5/24/22
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Other COVID Testing Options and Resources
Other Testing Resources:
- Community Testing
- Midway COVID-19 Community Testing site
- Located at former Herberger's Department Store, 1400 University Ave., St. Paul
- Offers rapid antigen testing M-F, 11am-6pm and Sundays from 11am-4pm
- Walk-ins accepted but appointments preferred
- Testing | Ramsey County
- Getting Tested for COVID-19 (MDH website)
- Find Testing Locations
- Midway COVID-19 Community Testing site
-Revised on 5/24/22
- Community Testing
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Upcoming SPPS Vaccination Clinics for Children ages 5-11
SPPS is teaming up with Saint Paul-Ramsey County Public Health to offer a series of vaccination clinics to our youngest students in mid-November. Vaccinations will be available by appointment only. Use the link below to learn more and to register your child:
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COVID-19 Vaccine for Children and Teens
Minnesota Department of Health has added a new webpage that helps parents learn about the vaccinations now available to children and teens, and connect with locations/clinics offering the vaccine. Use the link below to learn more and find a vaccination location for your child:
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What do Pediatricians Want Parents to Know About the COVID Vaccine for Kids?
See what some of our local pediatricians want parents to know about getting their children vaccinated.
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New Docket App Allows Easy Access to Your Immunization Record
Easily access your immunization record and keep track of immunizations you'll need in the future through The Docket. Minnesota's immunization information system, MIIC, combines immunizations into a single record. The Docket is a secure mobile app that utilizes MIIC information, allowing you to access your shot record, including COVID-19 vaccinations. The app provides a PDF document of the immunization record that can be saved to your mobile device, printed, emailed or texted as needed.
To learn more or to download, see the link below:
- Link: The Docket
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On-Going Community Vaccination Clinics
Walk-in COVID-19 community vaccination clinics are currently going on around St. Paul. Check out below for locations, days and times:
-Originally posted on 5/18/21
-Updated on 5/24/21
-Updated on 9/16/21
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State Vaccine Sites Now Open for Direct Appointment Scheduling
State of Minnesota community vaccination sites are now offering direct appointment scheduling for Minnesotans age 16 and older. Appointments can be scheduled either through the MDH COVID-19 Community Vaccination Program webpage or by calling (800) 431-2053.
Everyone 16 and older is eligible, so bring your friends and family (16+ for Pfizer vaccine with parental consent). Vaccines are free and health insurance is not required, nor is a government ID.
-Originally posted on 4/26/21
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COVID-19 Community Coordinators Available to Help Navigate the Ins and Outs of Everything COVID
COVID Community Coordinators are available to support Minnesotans who need COVID information specific to their communities, including in their languages. These community-based organizations serve those communities hit hardest by the pandemic, providing guidance on COVID vaccinations, testing and other resources. To learn more, click on the link below:
-Originally posted on 4/26/21
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Vaccination Questions
Do you have questions about whether you qualify for a vaccine? What to expect with your COVID shot? If the vaccine available in your community for children age 12-17? The list below is a set of links to MDH and CDC information that cover everything from what you need to bring to the vaccine clinic to why teens should now be vaccinated.
- Frequently Asked Questions About Vaccines (MDH)
- CDC Frequently Asked Questions
- COVID-19 Vaccine for Pre-Teens and Teens Information Sheet
- What to Expect After Receiving Your Vaccine
-Originally posted on 5/18/21
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Looking for a COVID vaccination?
Looking for a COVID vaccine? Here are two tools that help:
-Updated on 11/22
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Free COVID Testing in Ramsey County and Other Available Support Services
COVID-19 Testing & Important Community Resources Update
Testing remains an important strategy in the fight against COVID-19. There are more options for testing now than ever before. Anyone who has symptoms should isolate and be tested right away. Those who have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 should quarantine following Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines, and be tested 5-7 days later.
Ramsey County residents can order COVID-19 saliva tests on the Vault Health website. This at-home saliva test is offered at no cost from the State of Minnesota, and you will not be asked for payment information. You will be asked for insurance information if you have it, but it is not required to test at home. Each test needs a unique email address, and a photo ID is required.
Free saliva testing is also offered daily at Roy Wilkins Auditorium (175 Kellogg Blvd). Please be aware that testing will be unavailable at Roy Wilkins April 27 - May 2 and May 6. For more information on COVID-19 testing options, visit the Ramsey County website.
As a reminder, everyone should stay home when they are sick, wear a face covering, social distance, wash their hands frequently, and follow the guidance from Governor Walz in Executive Order 20-99.
In addition to testing, the county and other local organizations have resources available to support mental health, childcare, food and other needs that have been growing due to the pandemic. A few of these resources include:
- Ramsey County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative: Resources for schools to help support children’s mental health.
- Minnesota Black Community COVID-19 Hotline: Support for Minnesota’s African American community, 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Call 612-254-1145 for important information about COVID testing sites and resources that support food security, physical and mental health, employment, housing, childcare, legal rights and other COVID-19 related challenges.
- HACER (Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment Through Research): COVID-19 hotline providing information in English and Spanish about testing, self-isolating and other resources. The hotline is 651-304-6145 and is answered weekdays from 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Ramsey County Children's Mental Health Collaborative has put together a Youth Mental Health Emergency Crisis Guide that outlines a step-by-step response for schools and health care providers.
-Originally posted on 11/23/30
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COVID-19 Mental Health Crisis Resources
The COVID Cares Stress Phone Support Service is available to any Minnesotan experiencing COVID-related stress. Call 833-HERE4MN (833-437-3466) for free telephone support from 9am to 9pm every day.
- The service is a collaboration with volunteers from the Minnesota Psychiatric Society, the Minnesota Psychological Association, the Minnesota Black Psychologists, and Mental Health Minnesota.
-Originally posted on 3/4/21
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Immunization and Flu Shot Clinics for Saint Paul Youth
Immunizations are available for Pre-K through 12th grade students at the Washington Tech Health Start Clinic on Mondays. Student Placement Center (2102 University Ave. West) also has vaccinations available for students with no insurance or state insurance programs on designated days. Appointment are preferred at Student Placement Center but walk-ins are welcome. Families should call 632-3763 to schedule or for more information.
-Updated on 1/21/21
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Minnesota Department of Health Key Information
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has instructed schools to follow a Decision Tree map designed for schools in determining if students or staff exclusion status due to COVID contraction or exposure. View the Decision Tree document here. Translated versions can be found in the right margin of this webpage, under COVID-19 resources.
MDH has a webpage devoted to Schools and COVID-19. View the webpage here. It also has a COVID webpage for Spanish speakers, as well as webpages in Hmong and Somali.
Take the same precautions recommended for avoiding colds and flu:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough.
Link: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/prevention.html
MDH has also put out a video that explains in a very visual way, how the virus spreads. View the YouTube video here.
-Updated 1/12/21
UPDATED QUARANTINE GUIDELINES
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SPPS has changed its quarantine time for close contact exposure outside of household members, based on the recent changes put in place by the CDC and MDH. For further information on what these changes mean for you, please consult the link below:
SPPS COVID-19 Student and Family Guidelines and Employee Workplace Manual
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Saint Paul Public Schools has created a manual, aimed at keeping students and their families informed on how to prevent the COVID-19 virus and steps to take should they contract the illness or come in contact with someone with a COVID-19 diagnosis. Dowload the Student and Family Guidelines here.
The Guidelines contain several helpful videos. Two of the most notable are:
A staff manual has also been developed, with details specific to working in the school setting. Download the Employee Workplace Manual here.
How to Report COVID Concerns
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A red button has been placed on several prominent pages of spps.org for people to report COVID-19 concerns. If you have a COVID concern and have been on SPPS property, you are encouraged to report it the same day using this online system. A phone number is listed for families who need to report in Spanish, Hmong, Somali or Karen.
SPPS works closely with the Minnesota Department of Health to determine action steps for a reported case of COVID-19. Guidance from local and state health officials will determine if further communications are needed. For more information, please refer to the COVID-19 Communications Protocol.
Watch this short video to see how the reporting process works.
SPPS has also created a SPPSCOVID Dashboard webpage. This webpage includes graphs that show figures for potential COVID cases reported to the district's COVID response team, along with positive cases, and can be broken out for staff and students. There are also links to multiple state and county data resources.
-Updated on 11/19/20
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Other COVID Notification Programs
The state of Minnesota has created a COVID-19 smartphone notification system that allows you to be notified through an app if you've been near someone who tests positive for the virus. COVIDaware MN is not a contact tracing app but uses blue tooth technology to provide notification alerts. The app is designed to protect privacy and does not use or store personally identifiable information. The state encourages all Minnesotans to download the free app. To learn more, visit the COVIDaware MN website.
Health Start Clinics
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Health Start Clinics Are Open
SPPS high school Health Start Clinics are open and available for scheduling appointments. Most Health Start Clinics serve students ages 12-18, and services include urgent in-person mental health care, medication management for depression and anxiety, sexual health concerns, check-ups and vaccines, non-respiratory illness, injuries and asthma follow-up. They can also do sports physicals. This webpage lists the Health Start Clinic locations, hours of operation, and further details.
-Updated on 11/23/20, 4/22/21
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Additional COVID symptoms have been identified since the virus appeared last spring. This screening poster will be posted at all SPPS buildings open to traffic.

SPPS COVID-Lead Nurse Assistance
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SPPS Licensed School Nurses designated as COVID Leads are also available for consult:
- Mondays-Fridays, 7:00AM-4:30PM
They can be reached via email at covid19@spps.org.
COVID-19 Resources
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- Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 hub
- SPPS COVID-19 Decision Tree - 10/3/21
- Ways to Find a COVID-19 Vaccine
- Minnesota COVID-19 Connector
- COVID Community Coordinators
- SPPS COVID Dashboard
- Minnesota Black Community COVID-19 Hotline
- COVID hotline for Spanish speakers
- Hand hygiene curricula for students and adults/print materials (MDH)
- Schools/childcare mitigation guidelines (CDC)
- People who are at higher risk for severe illness (CDC)