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FROM STAFF REPORTS

Shelby County Schools released updated COVID-19 guidelines for students and employees on Friday, Jan. 7.

“The COVID-19 strain of Omicron has led to recent changes in the length of isolation and quarantine by the CDC/ADPH,” the document on Shelbyed.k12.al.us reads. “In response, Shelby County has made changes to our COVID-19 guidelines in an effort to preserve in-person learning in the upcoming weeks as our state experiences record numbers of COVID-19 cases.”

Mask wearing is highly recommended for all staff and students regardless of COVID-19 status or exposure, according to the document.

Mitigation measures will continue to be implemented in addition to the following changes:

Symptomatic but not confirmed cases of COVID-19

• Individuals experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should remain at home or will be sent home and should consider being tested for COVID-19. Parents should contact their child’s doctor for guidance.

• Regardless of whether they are tested for COVID-19, the person should remain at home until they have had a significant improvement (at least 50 percent except for loss of taste/smell) in symptoms and no fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine.

Positive cases (isolation)

• For individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, they should remain at home for a full five days of isolation. Day 1 is 24 hours after the onset of the first symptom. They may return to school beginning on day 6 if they are no longer experiencing symptoms or have had significant (at least 50 percent except for loss of taste/smell) improvement in symptoms and no fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine.

• The CDC/ADPH guidance recommends that a well-fitting mask should be worn for an additional five days. The CDC recommends if the person is unable to wear a mask, then isolation should continue for 10 days from symptom onset.

Exposure to a positive case outside of the school setting (quarantine)

• Exposures outside of school are at increased risk of transmission. For that reason, individuals that are exposed to a case outside of the school setting should be kept home from school for a full five days and be asymptomatic to return.

• The CDC/ADPH guidance recommends that a well-fitting mask should be worn for an additional five days. They also recommend that if the person is unable to wear a mask, then quarantine should continue for an additional five days.

• Exemptions are allowed for adults that have received a vaccine booster or have been vaccinated within the last five months with the m-RNA vaccine Pfizer or within the last six months for Moderna or within the last two months with a J&J vaccine. Exemptions are allowed for students who have fully completed any vaccine series. The CDC recommends mask wearing for 10 days after exposure.

• Exemptions are allowed for previous infections within the last 90 days. The CDC recommends mask wearing for 10 days after exposure.

Exposures at school

• In-school exposures are at a lower risk of transmission. Parents will continue to receive a notification when a positive case of COVID-19 has been identified in a classroom.

• Persons exposed in the school setting will be allowed to attend school if they remain asymptomatic.