The Indiana Department of Health recently issued new guidance for schools, shortening the amount of time a student has to remain out of school if they are exposed to or test positive for COVID-19
The guidance was released on Dec. 30. It includes two sets of guidance for isolation and quarantine for school districts with and without a mask requirement.
Three days prior, on Dec. 27, the Centers for Disease Control released new guidance recommending the isolation period for anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 be reduced to five days. The previous recommendation had been 10 days.
The CDC also recommended that following the shortened isolation period people should wear a mask around others for an additional five days.
Brown County Schools requires that masks be worn by students and staff in school buildings regardless of vaccination status.
Under the new guidance for school districts with mask requirements, students who test positive for COVID-19 will stay home for five days after the last day of exposure. Students would then return to school on the sixth day if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving, according to ISDH.
The student would then mask for five days in the classroom and if they are unable to properly mask at all times they will be required to stay home the full 10 days. A student who returns from isolation on the sixth day can also resume extracurricular activities if they are able to wear a mask at all times for the next five days. They must also be cleared by a physician, according to ISDH.
If a student is exposed to someone who has COVID-19 they can remain in school if they do not show symptoms and wear a mask. ISDH also advises the student be tested on the fifth day following the last day of exposure, if possible.
The exposed student can also continue extracurricular activities for all 10 days if they wear a mask while they are not actively performing or playing a sport.
If a student exposed to COVID-19 develops symptoms they will need to get a test and stay home if they are positive then follow the above protocols for isolation, ISDH states.
If the test is negative then the student can return to school when symptoms are gone.
ISDH also provided guidance for if a student is exposed to someone with COVID-19 outside of the classroom, like at home.
If a child is vaccinated and is exposed to COVID-19 outside of school, but are asymptomatic then they can remain in school while wearing a mask. Testing is advised on the fifth day following the exposure. If symptoms develop the student must then stay home and be tested.
Children who are not vaccinated or are partially vaccinated and are exposed to someone with COVID-19 outside of school will need to stay home from school and extracurricular activities for five days. Then they would test on the fifth day, if possible, the ISDH states.
The students can then return on the sixth day if they are not symptomatic and can wear a mask at all times.
Brown County Schools Superintendent Emily Tracy and corporation nurse Elizabeth Hill notified parents of the new guidance via a ParentSquare message on Jan. 3.
Read the guidance here.
The Brown County School Board of Trustees meets at 6:30 p.m. this Thursday, Jan. 6, at the Brown County High School.
