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Dear Superintendents and School Leaders,
I'm writing with updates on several COVID-19-related items that have arisen since my last message.
Updates to K-12 COVID-19 Decision-Making Tools
The County of San Diego has authorized revisions to the K-12 Decision Trees and related tools that remove certain requirements and better differentiate between practices that are recommended and those that are required.
- The local requirement that people who have symptoms and a negative antigen test result isolate pending the result of a confirmation test taken the following day has been removed.
- The reference to the public health order requiring schools to provide group close contact notifications to students has also been removed.
The K-12 Decision Tree (Spanish version), Decision Tree FAQ (Spanish version), and Snapshot of Masking, Testing, and Notification Requirements have been updated. Updates to the e-Decision Tree will be published by the end of the week; a Spanish version of the snapshot will be available next week.
Free OTC Tests for Public and Private K-12 Schools
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is expanding access to over the counter (OTC) COVID-19 test kits for K-12 schools via the California Safe Schools for All hub. All public and private schools are now eligible to create a Primary Health account and order free OTC tests for direct delivery. This new means of access will be the state’s primary method of providing testing support to schools. During times of high transmission, the state may also provide supplemental emergency distributions to county offices of education for distribution to schools.
CDC Updates Recommendations on Quarantine and Isolation
As you know, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated its recommendations on quarantine and isolation. In some ways the new guidelines are similar to those already put in place by CDPH, but there are a few notable exceptions.
Close Contact Guidelines
- Alignment with CDPH:
- The CDC no longer recommends quarantine for close contacts who remain asymptomatic and who are “up-to-date” on their COVID-19 vaccinations.
- The CDC recommends testing on Day 5 from last exposure. The CDPH recommends testing on Day 3, 4, or 5.
- Different from CDPH:
- California no longer provides differentiated guidance for close contacts based on their vaccination status.
- The CDC recommends a five-day quarantine period for close contacts who are not up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations.
Guidelines for People with COVID-19 Illness
- Alignment with CDPH:
- Isolation is recommended for at least five-days with the possibility of ending isolation on Day 6 from symptom onset (or positive test result if symptoms did not develop) if the person has been free of fever for at least 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medications) and their symptoms are improving.
- Through Day 10, the person should also wear a well-fitted mask indoors.
- Different from CDPH:
- Having a negative test result before ending isolation is not included in the CDC recommendations. The CDPH guidelines for ending isolation before Day 11 include a negative test result obtained on or after Day 5.
While the CDC does not have the authority to require state and local health jurisdictions to follow its recommendations, changes in CDC guidance sometimes prompt public health leaders to re-evaluate the guidance they have issued.
Thank you for all that you do. Please reach out if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Paul
Dr. Paul Gothold
San Diego County Superintendent of Schools
email: paul.gothold@sdcoe.net
phone: 858-295-6641
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