STMA Using New CDC Rules On COVID-19 Isolation, Quarantine
ST. MICHAEL, MN — The St. Michael-Albertville School District is now following new public health guidance that shortens the length of coronavirus quarantines and isolation.
The STMA school board voted last week to update the district’s safe learning plan to bring it in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s reduced recommendations, which are based on data that shows the majority of transmission occurs "early in the course of illness."
The new recommendations say people who are fully vaccinated and boosted do not need to quarantine after they are exposed to the coronavirus, though they should wear masks around others for 10 days after the exposure.
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Quarantine after exposure is also no longer required for anyone who tested positive for COVID-19 through a viral test within the past 90 days.
Those who are not fully vaccinated should quarantine for five days after an exposure, instead of 10 days, according to the new guidance. They should continue to wear a mask around others for five days after quarantine to minimize the risk of spreading the virus, the CDC said.
People who cannot quarantine for five days should wear a well-fitting mask at all times around other people for at least 10 days, according to the CDC.
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Anyone who has COVID-19 should isolate for five days, the new guidelines state. STMA students and staff can return to school on day six if they are no longer experiencing symptoms, but they must wear a mask for the next five days while in district buildings.
Students and staff who cannot or will not wear a mask after isolating for five days will not be allowed to return to school until the full 10-day period is over, STMA officials said.
Anyone who is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should immediately quarantine until they can be tested, the CDC said.
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CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the updated guidelines for quarantine and isolation "balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster doses."
"The Omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society," Walensky said. "These updates ensure people can safely continue their daily lives."
Click here for more information about STMA’s Safe Learning Plan, as well as its quarantine and isolation procedures for students.
This article originally appeared on the St. Michael Patch
