Quarantine Guidance 4/28/21

From the Mansfield Public Schools Health Services Department:

In consultation with Mansfield Department of Health and the Mansfield COVID-19 Task Force, Mansfield Public Schools will be following updated Protocols for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios in school, on the Bus or in Community Settings.

Updates to the quarantine guidance for close contacts were posted on April 20, 2021 by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and approved by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) after consultation with the Governor’s Medical Advisory Board on COVID-19.

Close contacts who were exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual in the classroom or on the bus while both individuals were masked do not have to quarantine unless they were within 3 feet of distance of the COVID-19 positive individual for a total of 15 minutes during a 24-hour period. This does not apply if someone was identified as a close contact outside of the classroom or bus (e.g., in sports, extra-curriculars, lunch, etc.) or if masks are not worn by both persons at the time of the exposure. All other close contacts must follow the standard protocol for when a close contact may return to school.

The full guidance is posted on the COVID-19 guidance page https://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/on-desktop.html and available for download at https://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/on-desktop/protocols/ “Protocols for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios — July 17, 2020 (Updated September 14, November 23, and December 16, 2020, and April 20, 2021) “

As a reminder, DPH has not changed their definition of a close contact and identifies a close contact as:

• Being within 6 feet of a COVID-19 case (someone who has tested positive) for a total of 15 minutes during a 24-hour period. Multiple brief or transitory interactions (less than a minute) throughout the day are unlikely to result in 15 minutes of cumulative contact and do not meet the definition of close contact. Being in the same room as an individual if you are consistently separated by 6 feet of distance does not meet the definition of a close contact.

• Close contact can occur while being with, caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a healthcare waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case, OR

• Having direct physical contact with the person (e.g. hugging or kissing), OR

• Sharing eating or drinking utensils, OR

• Having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on) while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment.

While the definition of a close contact remains the same, the requirement to quarantine has changed because of the structured school environment. This was determined after the Governor’s Medical Advisory Board on COVID-19 along with other medical advisors analyzed data from multiple sources. These sources included a peer-reviewed study published in March 2021 in Clinical Infectious Diseases. This study, Effectiveness of Three Versus Six Feet of Physical Distancing for Controlling Spread of COVID-19 Among Primary and Secondary Students and Staff: A Retrospective, State-Wide Cohort Study, compared infection rates at Massachusetts schools that required at least 3 feet of distancing with those that required at least 6 feet, and found no significant difference in the coronavirus case rates among students or staff in the two cohorts.

In addition, the following individuals may also be excluded from full quarantine:

Those that are fully vaccinated (2 weeks after Johnson & Johnson or 2 weeks after last dose of Pfizer or Moderna) and have provided proof of immunity to the school nurses.

1. An individual who had a confirmed case of COVID-19 (diagnosed by a positive COVID test) and is within 90 days of their test date

Close Contact Notification System

Parents and guardians will be notified that have been identified as a close contact by an automated message from the Mansfield Public Schools messaging system. This call will identify whether your student was less than three feet and needs to follow complete quarantine protocols or your student was three to six feet feet or meets the exemption criteria and needs to monitor symptoms for 14 days. Follow-up emails will be sent immediately with specific information and school nurses contact information.

Mask Wearing

Starting Friday, April 30 face coverings will no longer be required in many outdoor settings in Massachusetts as the state continues to see declines in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Governor Baker announced that the face coverings order will be relaxed outdoors, except for situations where it is not possible to maintain social distance and when required by business-specific guidelines. Mansfield Public Schools staff and students will continue wearing masks in all outdoor settings until further guidance from DESE. This includes recess, physical education, sporting events, or any other school-sponsored activity. (medical exemptions apply)