Schools Shrink Coronavirus Isolation, Quarantine To 5 Days

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — School districts in the region are adjusting to big changes in the rules for isolating or quarantining after exposure to the coronavirus or a positive test.

Fully vaccinated students and school staff don't have to stay out of school if they were exposed to someone with the contagious virus.

If they test positive for coronavirus but show no symptoms, they only have to isolate for five days instead of 10 if they wear a fitted mask for the next five days.

Even if they do get sick, they can stop isolating after five days or 24 hours without a fever, whichever comes first; mask-wearing is required for the next five days.

A person is considered fully vaccinated if it is more than 2 weeks after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer or Moderna), or more than 2 weeks after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson).

The changes came down from the Centers for Disease Control after Christmas. The New York State Health Department said counties could follow them and followed up Monday by recommending them. Rockland health officials implemented them Jan. 4 and Putnam health officials did so Jan. 6.

"Pandemic related staffing challenges have stretched school staffing to their limits, making it

unreasonable for schools to exclude fully vaccinated staff from the classroom due to exposures," Dutchess County health officials wrote, announcing the changes Jan. 4 and following up Jan. 7 to say that having gotten the booster shot would not be a factor in whether fully vaccinated people had to isolate or quarantine.

The Westchester County Department of Health approved the new guidelines late Tuesday.

With the news, officials in the Ossining school district, which has struggled since the winter break with absences by staff members and bus drivers who are isolating or quarantining, started calling affected students and staff.

"Please do not bring your child to school before being contacted," Superintendent Ray Sanchez told families Wednesday afternoon. "This new guidance will help us in our efforts to keep schools safe for in-person learning."

Here are the rules:

ISOLATION

1. Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and never develop symptoms should isolate for at least 5 days. (Day 0 is the day of the positive viral test (i.e. testing date) and day 1 is the first full day after the specimen was collected for the positive test).

• If they continue to remain symptom free, they can end isolation after at least 5 days.
• They should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public until day 10 (day 6 through day 10). If they are unable to wear a mask when around others, they should continue to isolate for 10 days.
• If symptoms develop, the student must stay home and contact the school nurse for further guidance.

2. Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and have or had symptoms should isolate for at least 5 days. (To calculate the 5-day isolation period, day 0 is the first day of symptoms. Day 1 is the first full day after their symptoms developed).

• They can end isolation after 5 full days if they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and other symptoms have improved (loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation).
• They should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public for 5 additional days (day 6 through day 10) after the end of their 5-day isolation period. If they are unable to wear a mask when around others, they should continue to isolate for 10 days.
• If they continue to have fever or other symptoms have not improved after 5 days of isolation, they should continue isolation until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication and other symptoms have improved. They should continue to wear a well-fitting mask and contact their healthcare provider with questions.

QUARANTINE

1. Fully vaccinated individuals are not required to quarantine as long as they remain symptom free. An individual is considered fully vaccinated if it is more than 2 weeks after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer or Moderna), or more than 2 weeks after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson).

2. Unvaccinated/partially-vaccinated individuals who have been exposed to a COVID-positive individual and have no symptoms should

• Quarantine for 5 days (day 0 through day 5) after their last close contact. May return to school after 5 day quarantine as long as they remain symptom free.
• These individuals would be eligible to stay in the school setting by participating in the district’s Test-to-Stay program (still being developed).