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Friday, 18 December 2020 13:28

Covid News Update

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Modifications to current health guidelines were announced this morning by the governor and the Utah Department of Health. These guidelines go into effect on January 4, 2021, when we return from winter break. In summary:

  • The current public health orders will be extended through January, 21, 2021. This includes the mask mandate.

  • In-school exposures. If an individual is exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the school environment, and both individuals are wearing masks during the period of exposure, the person exposed is no longer required to quarantine. Contract tracing will still be conducted. Parents will need to monitor their students for symptoms for the 14 days following an exposure, and keep them home if they are sick. If it can't be verified that both individuals were wearing masks, then the person exposed will need to follow current quarantine procedures.

  • Teachers are able to get tested on a weekly basis upon request, or they can elect to be tested as part of "Test to Play." 

  • The governor indicated that vaccinations for teachers should be available by mid-January. There is a tentative schedule on the state's website.

  • The case threshold for closing has been modified for schools with over 1500 students. The new threshold is now 1% of the student population, instead of 15 cases. For example, the threshold for Fremont will move to 20 cases, Roy 18 cases and Weber 20 cases. All other schools will remain at 15 cases.

  • The "rule of three" (Three individuals testing positive in the same classroom within a two-week period) will only apply to elementary schools. Classes in secondary will no longer be quarantined when there are three or more cases in one classroom.

  • "Test to Stay." When the case threshold is met, a school has the option of moving online for 10 days, or testing all of its students. Students who test negative will be allowed to continue with in-person instruction. Students who test positive or don't test, will move to virtual learning for 10 days. Positive cases identified in this testing will not count toward the threshold to close.

  • Targeted testing in certain communities will be available after the holidays.

  • "Test to Play" will remain in effect. About 12,000 tests have been administered throughout the state with a positivity rate of 1.6%

For more information, please visit:

https://www.pbsutah.org/live-daily-updates-covid-19-utah

https://coronavirus.utah.gov/

https://coronavirus.utah.gov/education/school-manual/

Read 70506 times Last modified on Monday, 04 January 2021 08:34