On August 29th, Governor Kathy Hochul announced updated COVID-19 protocols from the State Department of Health for students in kindergarten through high school. With the development of COVID-19 treatment, vaccination, testing, and information, the state has updated their guidance recommendations that aligns with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Since the early, uncertain days of the pandemic, New York schools, teachers and parents stepped up to ensure continued learning and a safe return to the classroom,” Governor Hochul said. “Today, we are making sure that state and federal guidance is aligned so that students and educators can enter the classroom with confidence and have a safe, healthy school year. We’re getting this information out to parents, into schools, and making sure that our children are where they need to be this fall. We know there’s no replacement for in-classroom learning, and we’re going to make sure that this year is a very different year.”
According to the governor, the new COVID mitigation strategies for the 2022-2023 school year are:
- CDC no longer recommends quarantine except in high-risk congregate settings. Those with a known or suspected exposure, regardless of vaccine status or prior history with COVID-19 infection, are recommended to wear a well-fitting mask for 10-days and then tested five days after close contact or symptoms develop.
- The CDC recommends people stay home when sick.
- Testing is recommended for those with symptoms of COVID-19 as soon as symptoms begin.
- Anyone who has tested positive or are awaiting COVID-19 test results should remain home.
- If someone had no symptoms, isolation may end after five days.
- If someone has symptoms, isolation may end after day five if they are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and symptoms are improving.
- People should wear a mask through day 10 after ending isolating when they are feeling better.
- Antigen testing is not required to end isolation; however, some schools may allow use of the test-based strategy to potentially shorten the length of time for post-isolation mask use. See the CDC website for more information on this: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html
For more information on New York State Schools and Youth COVID-19 guidance visit: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/schools-youth
