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MPS Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines 1/2022
Please see DESE/DPH document for FULL OUTLINE OF 2021-2022 Protocols:
DESE/DPH Protocols for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios - SY 2021-22
PROTOCOL A: FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID
VACCINATED AND UNVACCINATED:
Individuals can return to school on day 6 and once they have been:
Fever free for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medications; and,
Experienced improvement in other symptoms.
Day of symptom onset or test date is Day 0.
MPS will accept symptom onset date as Day 0 so long as it is no longer than 48 hours prior to testing.
After 5 completed days, individuals can return to school (Day6).
Proper mask wearing is essential for return to school after 5 days of isolation (Days 6-10).
If an individual has tested positive for COVID, DESE/DPH does not recommend repeat testing prior to returning to school.
PROTOCOL B: ASYMPTOMATIC CLOSE CONTACTS
UNVACCINATED CLOSE CONTACTS FROM AN IN-SCHOOL SETTING:
In the school setting, close contacts continue to be unvaccinated individuals who are less than three feet from a COVID positive individual with or without a mask.
Unvaccinated individuals who are identified as in-school close contacts continue to be eligible for the Test & Stay program
Individuals will be tested on school days for 5 days.
Last date of contact with the positive case is considered Day 0. Five days start following that date.
When the 5 days from date of exposure includes weekends or holidays, individuals should quarantine on weekends. If they remain asymptomatic, upon return to school, can be tested immediately so long as it is within a five day period of last exposure.
Individuals who are part of the Test & Stay protocols are eligible to participate in school sports and extracurricular activities on school days.
MPS does not provide testing on non-school days.
Information on participation in school related activities for non-school days is forthcoming.
If an individual does not choose to participate in Test & Stay, they must quarantine at home. Please see the next section.
UNVACCINATED CLOSE CONTACTS FROM AN OUT-OF-SCHOOL SETTING:
Unvaccinated individuals who are identified as contacts from an out-of-school setting such as a household COVID positive case or case from an extracurricular non-school activity need to quarantine at home.
In a non-school setting, close contacts are defined as individuals who have been within 6 feet of a COVID positive individual while indoors, for at least 15 minutes during a 24-hour period.
Quarantine period for an out-of-school contact is now 5 days if the individual remains symptom free.
Last date of contact with the positive case is considered Day 0. Five days start following that date.
If a household contact cannot stay separated from the positive case within the house, quarantine will START after the household positive case ends isolation. (Close contact day 0 would be positive case day 6).
Antigen testing before return to school is encouraged but is not required to return to school if an individual does not develop symptoms.
TESTING IS REQUIRED AT ANY TIME SYMPTOMS DEVELOP.
MPS accepts at-home antigen tests.
If an unvaccinated individual has symptoms and tests negative for COVID, they can return to school when symptoms improve and it is past five days from exposure.
VACCINATED CLOSE CONTACTS FROM AN IN-SCHOOL or OUT-OF-SCHOOL SETTING:
Fully vaccinated individuals are exempt from quarantine protocols.
In the school setting, fully vaccinated is defined as two-weeks following the completion of the Pfizer or Moderna series or two-weeks following a single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.
WE WILL NO LONGER BE NOTIFYING VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS OF CLASSROOM EXPOSURE AS IT IS NO LONGER RECOMMENDED TO TEST AT ANY POINT POST EXPOSURE IF VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS REMAIN SYMPTOMS FREE.
Symptom monitoring is expected daily for all members of our school community.
If a vaccinated individual experiences symptoms at any time, they are advised to refer to the DAILY SYMPTOM SCREENING CHECKLIST for symptoms that require immediate testing.
If a vaccinated individual has mild symptoms that do not require immediate testing they can attend school without testing or remain home and monitor.
If symptoms do not resolve or get worse, please call physician for guidance and/or obtain a COVID test.
MPS accepts at-home antigen tests.
PROTOCOL C: SYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUALS
UNVACCINATED INDIVIDUALS:
Symptom monitoring is expected daily for all members of our school community.
Please refer to the DAILY SYMPTOM SCREENING CHECKLIST for symptoms that require immediate testing.
If an unvaccinated individual has symptoms, they need to stay home and monitor symptoms.
Testing is required for symptoms in bold or combination symptoms.
MPS accepts at-home home antigen tests.
Individuals can return to school with improvement in symptoms, negative COVID test or alternate diagnosis from a medical professional.
VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS:
Symptom monitoring is expected daily for all members of our school community.
Please refer to the DAILY SYMPTOM SCREENING CHECKLIST for symptoms that require immediate testing.
If a vaccinated individual has mild symptoms that do not require immediate testing they can attend school without testing or remain home and monitor.
If symptoms do not resolve or get worse, please call physician for guidance and/or obtain a COVID test.
MPS accepts at-home home antigen tests.
Individuals can return to school with improvement in symptoms, negative COVID test or alternate diagnosis from a medical professional.
VACCINATED AND UNVACCINATED INDIVIDUALS:
So long as an individual is not a close contact, alternative diagnosis by a medical care professional (ex: strep, ear infection) may be accepted for return to school in lieu of a COVID test.
If a vaccinated or unvaccinated individual experiences symptoms that warrant a COVID test but choose not to receive a test, they must stay out of school for five days (Returning on Day 6 with Day 0 being first day of symptoms)
School nurses will not test symptomatic students or staff on arrival to school. Individuals will be dismissed to follow above guidelines.
Do not send your child to school if they are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms or if they are awaiting a COVID test. “When in doubt, keep them out!”
In some cases, individuals may be asked to follow specific testing and quarantine response protocols (including durations for quarantine/isolation) provided by contact tracers or local health officials which may differ from the recommended protocols above.
ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE:
Symptom onset or test day (symptom onset must be within 48 hrs of test date): Day 0
Last date of contact with the person who tested positive: Day 0
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