Daniel Prince
Reporting requirements, isolation time changes
DHEC has changed some of the COVID guidelines for this school year, as well. DHEC requires school districts to report when a class, group, or team of more than 5 individuals, whether student or staff, has 20% or more positive cases within 72 hours. The school district will continue to track positive cases, and if a cohort that your student participates in reaches that 20% threshold, the district will notify DHEC. They will also notify families of students who are in a cohort with 20% or more positive cases.
As was the case last year, if your child has a new or worsening cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or new loss of taste or smell, whether or not they have a fever of 100.4 degrees or greater, they must be excluded from school and may return with a negative COVID test or doctor’s note clearing return with no further exclusion.
If your child tests positive, you must report it to the school and your child must isolate at home for five days. After that, they may return provided that the symptoms have significantly improved and there is no fever in the past 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication. If the child returns to school, he or she must wear a mask during days 6-10 while at school. If you have questions, contact the school nurse or front office of your child’s school.