The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says, in many cases, students exposed to COVID-19 may not have to miss classes.
Guidance released Wednesday by MDHHS outlined new recommendations. The guidance says students exposed to COVID-19 but don’t show symptoms should be able to remain in school if they wear masks, are tested regularly, and take other precautions.
“There is a path with masking and tests and distancing for kids to stay in school and not have to quarantine at home,” Michigan Chief Medical Executive, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, said in an interview with Michigan Public Radio.
The guidance says students who display symptoms of COVID should quarantine for at least 10
days.
The guidance is not an order, and it is up to school districts and local health departments to decide what to do in cases where students have been or may have been exposed to COVID.
“But the document provides more clarity than we had before on certain circumstances as to how to bring students back to the classroom more quickly when they’ve been potentially exposed to COVID-19,” said Peter Spadafore with the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators.
Khaldun says providing advice for schools without issuing orders is consistent with the state’s approach.
“That is not something we have done at the state level as far as generally saying that students should quarantine,” she said. “So we will continue to provide guidance about how schools be working to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in their facilities.”
She also said vaccinations continue to be the best way to protect against COVID-19 infections.