When many school districts across Illinois welcome back students next week, classrooms will look significantly different than last year - at least in terms of COVID precautions.
Following the lead of federal health officials, the state of Illinois announced it is adopting relaxed COVID guidance for K-12 public schools, which includes dropping the quarantine requirement and easing physical distancing.
While health officials acknowledge COVID continues to spread, they assert severe illness has been reduced due to high levels of vaccination, infection-induced immunity and the widespread availability of effective treatments, including vaccines.
Under the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, people are advised to quarantine if they've been exposed to COVID in high-risk settings like nursing homes, jails and homeless shelters.
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However, schools aren't included.
The CDC now says students and school staff who remain asymptomatic should wear a high-quality mask for 10 days, and get tested on day five.
The transition away from quarantining signals an end to years of remote schooling that stunted learning and increased mental health problems. The updated guidance, according to Illinois Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala, acknowledges the "importance of in-person learning" and allows schools to "more aptly adjust to changes within their communities."
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Schools are still encouraged to keep students home if they are ill and to use testing to confirm or rule out COVID infections.
The CDC's advice for people who test positive for COVID, however, has not changed.
Isolate for at least five days, as people are most contagious during those first five days, according to the CDC. Isolation can end after day five as long as symptoms are improving and any fever is gone, however masking remains recommended through day 10.
Chicago Public Schools will also experience major changes as well.
Vaccines will not be mandated for the school year, and neither will masks. Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, emphasized that as COVID continues to evolve, so will guidelines around the virus.
“CPS and all schools around Chicago have been doing a lot of preparation for the upcoming school year, and there are a huge amount of resources that have gone into this at CPS,” Arwady said. “COVID continues to change, and it’s important that the protocols continue to evolve as we learn more."
Statewide, masks are recommended only when a school district is at a "high" community level for COVID.
The updated CDC guidance recommends the following strategies to curb the spread of COVID-19 and other infections:
- • Promote staying up to date with all routine vaccinations
- • Implement policies that encourage students and staff to stay home when sick
- • Optimize ventilation systems
- • Reinforce proper hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
- • Utilize proper cleaning and disinfection procedures
