Students and staff at South Bend Schools can now go back sooner if exposed to or infected with COVID-19.
The district's new protocols ease some of its rules amid the omicron surge. The district is now allowing rapid tests and lessening the time students and staff need to quarantine.
That's all based on guidance from the CDC and the Indiana Department of Health.
The district is allowing negative results from a rapid test to allow a return to the classroom after a person tests positive for the virus.
They hope to get enough at-home tests to supply to families in the coming months and will require it when they get enough supplied.
COVID-19 case counts are up in the district.
As of this past week, the elementary schools have a little more than 200 student cases.
The high schools have a combined 161 student cases followed by the middle schools at 90.
Brandon White, the Assistant Superintendent of Academics for S.B.C.S.C. says the district is doing everything it can to safely resume classes in person.
"We know that our students learn the best when they are in person and so that's [why] we need to be able to meet their individual needs," White said.
He says there isn't an immediate plan to revert to e-learning because they're hoping the revised COVID protocol mitigates transmission.
"At this point, we are focusing on educating and informing individuals about vaccinations," White said.
One update to the plan reduces isolation and quarantine times.
Anyone who tests positive for the virus must isolate, meaning stay home, for 5 days instead of 10.
Fully vaccinated adults and students exposed to someone with COVID don't need to quarantine. If not vaccinated, then the adult must stay home for 5 days.
"We also have to balance... that's our number one job is to educate students but also we also provide other services meals and things like that," White said. "It’s very important for us to work through to try to keep school buildings open and staffed.
Students who are masked in school--despite vaccination status--and exposed to COVID can return to school if asymptomatic.
Board of Trustee member Dr. Ruth Warren says she's concerned for the district's athletic teams which combined, are a little more than half vaccinated at 51%.
"For basketball, it’s only 38% and we have three basketball teams who have not been able to compete," Warren said. "It’s really important that athletes get vaccinated and boosted."
Students still will have to wear a mask when they are not eating or playing sports.
That mask mandate is why vaccinated students exposed to COVID outside the classroom can now return the next day, and unvaccinated students can return to class by day 6 if there are no symptoms.
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