Updated Guidelines on Quarantine and Isolation
In the link below you will find updated guidelines for individuals who test positive for COVID-19 or have been identified as a close contact to a positive case. These guidelines were sent out by the Lawrence Douglas County Health Department and are slightly different from the CDC guidelines. The difference from the CDC version is Douglas County requires a negative COVID-19 test to move out of isolation after the five-day mandatory isolation for positive cases. We will move forward with the Douglas County guidelines for all District buildings. This will provide more consistency and save time for our health staff as they are already overwhelmed with the demands created by COVID-19.
Here are other changes from previous guidelines. (These changes are the same for CDC, KDHE, and LDC Health Department):
-Positive cases can reduce isolation from 10 days down to 5 days with a negative test and by wearing a mask on days 6-10. We were also advised not to allow students who test positive to participate in extracurricular activities until they complete the full ten days of isolation.
-Close Contacts/Quarantine: The biggest change is the definition of who is a “susceptible contact” and who is a “non-susceptible contact.” To be in the non-susceptible category, you must be fully vaccinated, including the booster if you are eligible. Also, individuals who have previously tested positive for COVID-19 are considered non-susceptible if they are within 90-days of being positive. (This was previously six months.)
-Susceptible contacts: Quarantine time can be reduced from 7 days to 5 days with a negative test.
I’ve included the definition of “susceptible contact” and “non-susceptible contact” at the bottom of the guidelines document.
The next two weeks will be a critical time in our District, as we are at an all-time high level for positive cases. We encourage mask-wearing, social distancing, and full vaccination if possible. We are still able to offer COVID-19 testing for students and staff who would like to participate in the "test to stay" program. Test to Stay Information.