The Health and Safety Committee met on December 4, 2020 to discuss modifications to our quarantine policy. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends a quarantine period of 14 days, they have determined that, with certain parameters, the period may be reduced. The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) recently aligned their quarantine guidelines to that of the CDC. Our committee deliberated the recent updates and considered how modifications might affect MCS.
After examining the material, and taking into account the high compliance to date that the MCS community has shown with all of the school’s COVID-19 policies and protocols, we have determined that in certain circumstances the quarantine period for school exposures may be reduced to 10 days.
The following changes will be effective January 2021:
Low Risk Exposure, Test and Return Protocols
A student or staff member, who was exposed in the school setting to someone who tested positive, may return to in-person learning or work after a minimum 10 day quarantine if he or she meets ALL of the following:
- The school verifies the student or staff member who was exposed and the person who tested positive were both wearing a face mask as defined by the State Public Health Order on masks in schools.
- The quarantined student or staff member has a negative COVID-19 PCR test result. The test result must be from at least 7 days after the last exposure. Antigen tests (often called a rapid test) and antibody tests will not be accepted in this circumstance.
- The student or staff member does not have symptoms of COVID-19.
If the student or staff member who was exposed meets all three criteria he or she may return on the date the school and Health Department determines as appropriate.
If the individual does not meet all three criteria or chooses not to get tested, he or she should quarantine at home for 14 days from the last day of exposure.
Anyone who has been exposed to COVID-19 and comes back to school must continue to watch for symptoms. If employees or students get symptoms, they should isolate at home and call their healthcare provider.
People who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to quarantine or get tested again for up to 3 months as long as they do not develop symptoms again. People who develop symptoms again within 3 months of their first bout of COVID-19 may need to be tested again if there is no other cause identified for their symptoms.
The Low Risk Exposure,Test and Return Protocols do not apply to the Toddler program.
Exposures that occur outside of the school setting will need to be examined on a case by case basis to determine the appropriate length of a quarantine period.