New COVID guidelines issued for students
MT. PLEASANT — The Utah Department of Health, under the direction of Gov. Herbert, has approved a “Low Risk Test and Return” guide for grade school students statewide. At the request of many school superintendents and charger directors, a school medical advisory group met and recommended adjustments to the 14-day quarantine.
The medical experts on the advisory group indicate that this aligns with the best medical practice of adjusting the intensity of intervention based on risk and consequences of overprescribing an intervention.
Low Risk Test and Return
A student, teacher, or staff member who was exposed at school to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 may return to work at a school or in-person learning if he or she meets ALL of the following:
The school verifies the student, teacher or staff member who was exposed and the person who tested positive were both wearing a face mask as defined by the State Public Health Order on masks in schools.
The quarantined student, teacher, or staff member has a negative COVID-19 test result (must be a PCR or antigen test, not an antibody test). The test result must be from at least 7 days after the last exposure to the person who tested positive.
The student, teacher, or staff member does not have symptoms of COVID-19.
The Low Risk Test and Return protocol does not apply to students, teachers, staff, or settings that are exempt from the State Public Health order on masks in schools.
If the student, teacher, or staff member who was exposed meets all three criteria he or she may return to work, school or related activities, if the employee or the parents of the student choose. If the person does not meet all three criteria or chooses not to get tested, he or she should quarantine at home for 14 days from the last day of exposure.
Anyone who has been exposed to COVID-19 and comes back to school must continue to watch for symptoms. If employees or students get symptoms, they should isolate at home and call their healthcare provider.
These guidelines only apply to exposures that occur at school.
Local health officers were instrumental in crafting and supporting this update and are ready and willing to assist. The Rapid tests (Abbot BinaxNOW) are still being distributed and your LHO will likely be the best source to know when and where the tests can be accessed. The COVID-19 School Manual will be updated to reflect this change but the change takes effect immediately.
