Miami-Dade Public Schools to change COVID-19 quarantine rules

DORAL, FL – COVID-19 quarantine rules are going to look different during the upcoming school year, according to Miami-Dade County Public Schools

On Thursday, they announced through a news statement that entire classrooms won’t require to quarantine if a student, teacher or staff member falls ill with the novel coronavirus unlike last school year. 

Now, as per the new COVID-19 quarantine rules, only people impacted directly by the disease will need to lock down. That is the individuals close in proximity with the student, teacher or staff member who tested positive for COVID-19.

But there will be isolation rooms within schools available for students who start to feel ill with symptoms of the coronavirus. While there, such students will be checked by a nurse until parents arrive to pick them up if a measure like that is required. 

As far as mask wearing inside classrooms, which is a measure the CDC and also the American Academy of Pediatrics have encouraged even for vaccinated individuals, Miami-Dade Public Schools hasn’t reached a final decision yet and it has been said there won’t be any announcements about this until two weeks before classes resume on August 23. 

“Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is carefully monitoring the latest developments concerning COVID-19 to ensure decisions are made that best safeguard the wellbeing of students and employees,” said Superintendent Alberto Carvalho in a released statement earlier this week. 

What it is confirmed, however, is the mandatory use of face masks inside public school buses. Using masks while at another environment remains optional up until the district decides otherwise after reviewing concerns over the highly contagious delta variant and the lack of vaccines available for children under 12.

Other measures already in place since the beginning of the pandemic that will continue include social distancing in the cafeteria or the use of  other dining options whenever it’s possible, health controls at every schools, reinforcement of cleaning and disinfecting protocols in school buses, campuses and offices, and improvement of air quality through purifiers and other devices.

Broward County already announced on Wednesday that face masks will be mandatory in public schools, at least for the beginning of the new school year, scheduled to start on August 18. Masks are expected to be optional in Palm Beach and Monroe County public schools.

 

Photo: Unsplash.com

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