CDC's Shorter Quarantine Adopted By Illinois State Board Of Ed

CHICAGO — The Illinois Department of Public Health and the State Board of Education announced plans to revise guidelines for how long students and staff members must isolate or quarantine themselves if they test positive for the coronavirus or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 .

State health officials said Friday that the changes to guidelines for schools will be updated after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance earlier this week.

On Tuesday, the CDC shortened isolation and quarantine periods for the general public from 10 days down to five days for people who had tested positive for COVID-19. Under the new guidance, people who are infected with the virus should then wear a mask for 10 days after isolating for five days.

On Thursday, the CDC extended those guidelines to K-12 schools, stating that staff members or students who test positive should isolate for five days regardless of their vaccination status. Staff or students who show no COVID-19 symptoms can be released from isolation, the CDC said. Those exhibiting symptoms should extend their isolation until 24 hours after they are symptom-free.

The agency said that upon a return to school, staff members or students who have tested positive should wear a mask for five days; if they are not able to wear a mask, they should continue to isolate themselves for a total of 10 days, officials said.

Staff or students who return from isolation should avoid those who have compromised health or are considered high-risk for serious illness. If staff or students are in situations where they must take off their masks, at lunch for instance, they should maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others for a total of 10 days from when they tested positive, the CDC said.

State health officials did not specify when the policy would be updated and said that new guidance will be issued by the Illinois State Board of Education soon. Officials also did not say whether the new guidance would become a mandate for schools across the state, or if individual districts will determine their own policies.