RIDE announces updated guidance for isolation, quarantine for students and staff in schools

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE)- The Rhode Island Department of Education has announced their guidance for quarantine and isolation periods for students and staff in Pre K-12 schools.

Students and staff who either have, or developed, symptoms should isolate at home, and get tested.

Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, should stay home and isolate for a minimum of five days. If they do not have symptoms and fever-free for 24 hours on day six, they should wear a mask for an additional five days in school or with others. If they do have symptoms, individuals should isolate at home until they have been fever-free for 24 hours and no symptoms.

Those asymptomatic should wear a well-fitting mask at school and home for the ten day period.

Staff and students 18 and older who are close contacts are exempt from quarantine and should wear a mask for ten days if they do not have symptoms and have received a vaccine booster, two doses of Pfizer within the last five months, two doses of Moderna within six months, one dose of J&J within two months. If they develop symptoms, they should isolate and get tested.

Students age 5 to 17 who are close contacts are exempt from quarantine and should wear a mask around others for ten days if they do not have symptoms and completed two doses of Pfizer or Moderna more than 14 days before exposure. If they develop symptoms they should isolate and get tested.

Students and staff identified as close contacts are exempt from quarantine if they do not have symptoms and one of the following applies:

• The person has previously had COVID no more than 90 days prior to the date of exposure
• The person meets all of the Pre K-12 close contact exception criteria:
  • The close contact infected person are both pre K-12 students
  • The exposure occurred inside a Pre K-12 classroom or structured outdoor Pre K-12 setting where mask use can be observed
  • Both students wore face masks at all times
  • Students were at least three feet apart from each other at all times
• The person is a Pre K-12 students or staff member and the exposure occurred at outdoor recess
• The exposure occurred on a Pre K-12 school bus where windows were open, all on the bus had face masks, and one adult in addition to the driver monitor that masks were worn and windows open.