LI School District Reduces COVID-19 Isolation, Quarantine

WANTAGH, NY — The Wantagh School District has updated its COVID-19 protocols as of Tuesday.

For students or staff testing positive, regardless of vaccine status, they are required to isolate for five days from the date of the positive result if asymptomatic or at the onset of symptoms.

Anyone testing positive should tell the district via an online form. Additionally, those who came in close contact within 48 hours of the positive result should be notified.

If symptoms persist beyond five days, further isolation will be necessary, the Superintent John McNamara wrote in an open letter.

Otherwise, students and workers can return to school with the minimum period reduced to five days.

The Wantagh School District is making the adjustment based on updated protocols from the New York State Department of Health and Nassau County Department of Health.

For people exposed to someone with COVID-19, the district said, only unvaccinated, close contacts would need to quarantine for five days and a well-fitting around others for the next five days if no symptoms developed.

Any student or staff that entered a quarantine or isolation period prior to January 5, is now eligible to return to school under the new guidelines.