LANSING (Mich.) – To prevent COVID-19 from spreading, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services ( MDHHS ) has issued new guidelines regarding school quarantine and masks.

For children and staff to be safe, it is important to have regular in-person training.

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MDHHS recommends that schools and local health departments work together to quickly identify COVID-19 students and staff, identify close contact of those cases, and establish quarantine policies that minimize the risk of transmission in schools and allow for in-person learning.

Students exposed to COVID-19 may not need to be quarantined at home if they are given evidence-based preventive measures, such as testing, vaccination, and masking. They can also stay in class if they have the option to do so.

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Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian is the chief medical executive of MDHHS. She stated that schools now have the capability to make sure children aged 5 and over are vaccinated. We urge all residents who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as soon possible. It is our best defense against this virus. Additional strategies to keep schools and public places safe include isolation, distancing and quarantine.

MDHHS recommends universal masking for all K-12 schools. The local health department will determine the appropriate isolation and quarantine. These are important tools for preventing the spread of diseases.

• If you have been tested positive for COVID-19, you can be considered isolated. To distinguish people infected by COVID-19 and those not, isolation is used.
• When you have been exposed to COVID-19, it is important that you quarantine. You might get COVID-19 infection and spread it to others.
• No matter what vaccination status, any person with COVID-19 symptoms should not be allowed to attend school. They should be tested for COVID-19.

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COVID-19 School Quarantine Guidelines For Asymptomatic Students

• Contacts who have been fully vaccinated and are not showing symptoms need not be quarantined.
• Contacts who aren’t fully vaccinated or don’t have symptoms:
• Contacts can still participate in school activities provided they wear a mask for at least 14 days and use a “Test to Stay” strategy.
• Contacts may be allowed to participate in school activities at their discretion if masking is not done properly.
• MI Safer Schools Testing Program

Through the MI Safe Schools Testing program, MDHHS will also provide schools with antigen testing supplies at no cost. MDHHS will leverage our partnership with Intermediate Schools Districts to distribute COVID-19 antigen test kits based on orders placed on the School Antigen COVID Ordering Form. Questions about test supply orders can be sent to your Intermediate School District and any other school testing related questions can be sent directly to MDHHS at MDHHS-COVIDtestingsupport@michigan.gov