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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WC) – Thousands of South Carolina students are now back in the classroom or will be back this week as they begin another school year affected by the pandemic.
But when they do return, they will do so under a relaxed statewide COVID-19 protocol, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control updated its guidance Monday to The CDC released the guidelines last week.
For the past few years DEC’s Covid Guide for Schools It detailed when and where masks should be worn, when masks should be worn, and how far apart students should be in their classrooms.
“The biggest thing this school year is that we want to keep kids in school and healthy and happy. They all deserve to have a normal year,” he said.
Students and staff who have been diagnosed with or have symptoms of Covid-19 must stay home and self-isolate for at least five days. If their symptoms improve and they are fever-free for 24 hours without antipyretics, they may return to school after that.
They must wear a mask for the next five days, but can take it off after a negative rapid antigen test on days 6 or 8.
If they do not test negative on both days, they must continue wearing the mask for another five days.
The policy change comes as South Carolina. Children’s covid vaccine dose It has remained low for the past few months, with less than one in five to 11-year-olds now fully vaccinated.
“I really encourage them to get vaccinated,” Traxler said. “It makes you less likely to miss school, it makes you less likely to miss more school, it catches you in serious trouble, and this really gives you the best inoculation for this regular year.”
Students who have had close contact with someone who has tested positive, such as a friend, classmate, or teacher, are not required to self-isolate if there is an active outbreak at their school, so they should still continue to attend school under those circumstances. .
Outbreaks occur when 20% or more of students and staff in a shared setting, such as a classroom or sports team, are present or absent within 72 hours due to Covid.
Schools are required to report outbreaks to DHEC, but this year, it’s up to districts to decide what happens next, like if they start requiring masks or turning classrooms virtual.
“We do provide outbreak guidance, but again, that’s really up to each school district to talk to their legal counsel and their administration and make the right decisions about how to incorporate the guidance,” Traxler said.
As the new school year gets underway, more than half of South Carolina’s 46 counties are experiencing high levels of community transmission of the virus. According to the CDC.
In those areas The CDC recommends It also recommends that people wear masks at home in public or crowded places and follow DHEC guidelines.
Trackler advises families to be up-to-date on all of their children’s childhood immunizations, not just on Covid vaccinations, saying they don’t want students missing school for any preventable reason.
Copyright 2022 WCSC. all rights reserved.
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