DESE/DPH Protocols for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios - SY 2021-22
For the complete memo dated 12/30/21 from Commissioner Riley, please click HERE.
TO: Superintendents, Charter School Leaders, Assistant Superintendents, Collaborative Leaders, Leaders of Approved Special Education Schools
FROM: Jeffrey C. Riley, Commissioner, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Margret R. Cooke, Acting Commissioner, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: DESE/DPH Protocols for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios - SY 2021-22
DATE: August 13, 2021, updated December 30, 2021
Introduction
On July 30th, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Department of Public Health (DPH) released a joint memo on COVID-19 Guidance for Districts and Schools – Fall 2021. As outlined in the memo, all schools are required to be in-person, full time, five days a week for the 2021-22 school year, and all previously released DESE health and safety requirements are lifted. In addition to outlining recommendations for school and district policies on masking, the memo also previewed new COVID-19 testing and quarantine response protocols for schools.
This document outlines the testing and quarantine response protocols for SY 2021-22, including the new “Test and Stay” protocol for districts in the statewide COVID-19 testing program or for districts with a similar, separate testing initiative. With the addition of Test and Stay, we hope to support districts and schools in keeping as many students in school as possible, safely, this school year.
For the complete memo from Commissioner Riley, please click HERE.
DESE & DPH Frequently Asked Questions, January 6, 2022
1. When do the updated DPH/DESE Protocols for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios go into effect?
The updated DPH/DESE Protocols for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios were released on December 30, 2021 and were effective immediately. The protocols can be applied retroactively for people currently in isolation or quarantine. So, if an individual tested positive for COVID-19 prior to the date the updated guidance was released, they should now use the 5-day isolation or quarantine period and return to school once they have met certain conditions as outlined in the protocols.
2. Can individuals returning from quarantine and isolation remove their masks to eat meals?
Per the updated protocols, individuals returning from a 5-day isolation and quarantine must mask for an additional 5 days when around others. Like individuals participating in Test & Stay, during meals, masks should only be removed when individuals are actively eating. Additionally, DESE recommends a physical distance of at least 3 feet while eating, as feasible. This means masks must be worn when individuals are waiting for meals or sitting at lunch tables after meals are finished.
3. What is the definition of fully vaccinated as it relates to the eligibility for the updated isolation and quarantine guidance?
At this time, and as provided in the updated DPH/DESE Protocols for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios, fully vaccinated is still 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.