CDC Updates and EPS Health and Safety Plan

News from the EPS Pandemic Coordinator: 
As you know, our districtwide Health and Safety Plan dictates that we follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in our response to COVID-19, including in regard to masking. Current guidelines recommend universal masking regardless of vaccination status while indoors; as such, students and staff will be required to continue wearing masks for the time being.
Secondly, the CDC has updated and shortened its recommended isolation and quarantine periods for those who are exposed to or who test positive for COVID-19, based on the new information about the Omicron variant. We will follow these guidelines, detailed below:

• If you test positive for COVID-19, you should isolate for 5 days. If you are asymptomatic or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you may leave your house and you should wear a mask when around others for 5 additional days.
• If you have been exposed to COVID-19:
  • If you are unvaccinated OR more than 6 months out from your second mRNA vaccine dose (Pfizer, Moderna) or more than 2 months out from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you should quarantine for 5 days followed by strict mask use for another 5 days.
  • If you have received your vaccine and booster shot you do not need to quarantine following exposure, but you should wear a mask for 10 days after exposure.
  • Anyone exposed to COVID-19 should take a COVID-19 test (PCR) at day 5 after exposure. If you are symptomatic, immediately quarantine until you receive a negative test.

You can find more details about the new guidelines here.

​Links:
CDC Updates, 12/27/21 
EPS Health & Safety Plan