Dear Parents,
The Mississippi State Department of Health issued a new update for schools on Friday, July 30.
The new guidance from MSDH removes the option to end quarantine with a test every two days if exposed as a close contact to a Covid positive case.
This means there is now a 10-day option and a 7-day plus test option to end quarantine.
Quarantine - Page 17 (Students); Page 27 (Staff)
Students and staff who are NOT fully vaccinated and are identified as close contacts to Covid-19 will be allowed to return to school from quarantine according to the following options as defined by MSDH.
The following options are allowed to end quarantine:
- 10-day option: Quarantine can end after 10 days if the individual has no symptoms during the entire 10-day period.
- 7-day plus test option: If the individual has no symptioms for 7 days and has a negative test result any form of molecular based testing for the detection of Covid-19 RNA collected on day 5, 6, or 7 of the quarantine period, the quarantine period can be discontinued after 7 days.
The new guidance also adds that while vaccinated individuals are NOT required to quarantine if exposed to a close contact, they are encouraged to get tested.
Our return to school guide, Staying Safe Together, is based on the latest guidance from the Mississippi State Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and American Academy of Pediatrics.
The updated guide is dated 8/1/21, and it is already posted on the website at the link below. It is effective immediately.
Staying Safe Together: Return to School Guide, Updated 8/1/21
Please remember masks are required by all faculty, staff, students and families while inside ourschools and campus facilities and while onschoolbuses.The District will monitor rates of transmission and adjust our mask procedures accordingly.
Our school district remains fully committed to staying safe together, which means working together to provide a safe, healthy learning environment for every child in our care, every teacher in our classrooms, and every staff member throughout our school district.
Please do not hesitate to let us know if you have questions.
Sincerely,
Eddie Peasant
Supt.