Madison Consolidated Schools COVID-19 UPDATE

Information regarding COVID-19 has been fluid and guidance continues to change

MCS follows guidance from Centers for Disease Control, the Indiana State Department of Health, the Jefferson County Department of Health and the Indiana Department of Education. Information regarding COVID-19 has been fluid and guidance continues to change. The contents of this document may be updated frequently. FACE COVERINGS ● Masks are mandatory for all students, staff, and volunteers within the buildings at all times; regardless of vaccination status. ● If individuals are outside and can maintain 6 feet of physical distance, masks may be removed. ● Masks are required on the school bus in accordance with federal mandate. ● Face Shields may be worn in addition to a mask, but do NOT fulfill the mask requirement when worn alone. ● If wearing a mask has been deemed a hazard to your health, please contact your physician and obtain a doctor’s order. Documentation must be provided to wear a face shield in place of a mask. ● Students who wear face shields will not be exempt from quarantine. If a student wearing a face shield tests positive for COVID-19, every student within a 6 foot radius must quarantine. MASKED CLOSE CONTACT AND QUARANTINE PROTOCOL (masked classroom and bus) ● Contact tracing will still be performed for all positive cases. ● Close contact is defined as any individual within 3 feet of the positive person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more ● Individuals correctly and consistently wearing a well fitting mask do not have to quarantine if identified as a close contact in the classroom setting per Executive Order 21-24, unless symptomatic. ● Parents of students identified as close contacts will be notified to monitor for symptoms for 14 days and may remain at school with enhanced precautions. ● Enhanced Precautions Clarification* ○ If ANY signs or symptoms are identified while at home, student/teacher/staff should NOT come to school and should get tested. ○ If symptoms develop during the school day, individual should go home as soon as possible and get tested. ○ If COVID-19 test is positive, begin 10 days of isolation starting from the date symptoms began. ○ If COVID-19 test is negative because an individual is identified as a close contact and has symptoms, he or she must complete the remaining days of quarantine. Must also be free of symptoms and fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication before returning to school. UNMASKED CLOSE CONTACT AND QUARANTINE PROTOCOL (non-classroom) ● In a setting where anyone is unmasked, a close contact is defined as any individual within 6 feet of the positive person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more. ● Non-classroom is defined as: breakfast/lunch, indoor recess, athletics, extracurricular activities, classes where students are not masked, on or off school grounds. ● If students remove their masks for any reason in the classroom setting such as “mask breaks” or “snack time, '' the unmasked protocol guidance will be followed for contact tracing and quarantine purposes. ● All unvaccinated individuals must quarantine with one of the following options and remain asymptomatic: ○ Quarantine for 10 days (no test needed). Return on day 11. ○ Quarantine for 7 days. Return on day 8. Must provide documentation of negative PCR or antigen (rapid) COVID test performed on days 5, 6, or 7. No exceptions. Continue enhanced precautions on days 8-14* ● Symptomatic close contacts, regardless of vaccination status, must complete their 10 day isolation from onset of symptoms. If symptoms resolve, they may return on day 11. ● Fully Vaccinated individuals DO NOT NEED TO QUARANTINE in any situation, unless they become symptomatic. ● Individuals with documentation of positive COVID-19 test in the past 90 days may be exempt from quarantine *IDOH COVID-19 School Quarantine Guidance Visit this link to view the IDOH COVID-19 School Quarantine Guidance and Enhanced Precautions Guidance