IDPH Quarantine and Face Mask Guidance
November 02, 2020
The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has made a change on quarantine recommendations for people that have been exposed to a positive case of COVID-19. This applies in non-healthcare, non-residential settings only. This includes businesses, education and child care settings.
This guidance recommends that close contacts of COVID-positive cases will no longer need to quarantine for 14 days if a face covering was worn consistently and correctly by the positive case and close contacts. The positive case must isolate. If exposure occurs while a student is not wearing a mask (i.e. lunch) they will need to quarantine at home.
Close contacts will continue to be notified via telephone when there is a need to monitor your student.
Parents may choose to have their student quarantine at home if they wish.
The close contacts MUST self-monitor. These guidelines include:
- Wear a face mask at all times, except when eating and drinking
- Social distance whenever possible
- Monitor for COVID-19 symptoms, including temperature twice a day over the next 14 days
- If any symptoms develop, STAY HOME, notify your school nurse and speak with a healthcare provider about COVID-19 testing.
- If people who are self-monitoring become ill but do not get tested, they should remain home until 10 days after symptom onset
With this new guidance the type of face covering is also very important. Neck gaiters, bandanas, and masks with valves will not count as appropriate face coverings to avoid the 14-day quarantine. Therefore, we are not allowing students and staff to use gaiters, bandanas and masks with valves. Mask must cover both the mouth and nose.
New guidance has also been given on the communication of positive cases in our school district to the community. Due to FERPA regulations, we will no longer notify our community when we have a positive case in our district each time one occurs. We will only notify the community when we have reached a number of 6 active cases in the district.
Confidentiality is of the utmost importance when we are dealing with students’ private information. I would like to thank the community for their support during this trying time in education. Our goal is to keep students in school as much as safely possible. If we do need to switch to a different schedule we will notify parents and students through our JMC email system. Please make sure your information is accurate and we have a working email entered in our notification system.
Mr. Crozier
Superintendent of Schools
