The Grafton Taylor County Health Department is now handling all contacts of positive students and giving instructions on quarantines that are tested through their site. We are making hard copies of all items shared with us from them and distributing tomorrow with all students. It is important to understand who needs to isolate and quarantine based on vaccination status. We do ask that you notify your child's school if they are positive and if using a home test consider going to the health department from 11-1 Monday thru Friday for a confirmatory test.
Please see the link below for the health departments information and WVDE recommendations.
We appreciate your continued support as we transition away from the school system providing contact tracing and offering dates for isolation and quarantines for COVID.
Christy Miller, Superintendent
Documents
| Taylor County Schools (thrillshare.com)
Vaccination/Isolation/Quarantine
» Staff members are considered fully vaccinated if their primary series is within the
last 6 months or they have received the booster. Students ages 5-17 are considered
fully vaccinated if they have had the primary series meaning booster is not
required.
» Fully vaccinated staff members and students who have been exposed, do NOT have
to quarantine if they are asymptomatic. Testing is recommended on day 5 and masks
should be worn through day 10.
» Unvaccinated students and staff must quarantine for 5 days if within 6 ft. of a positive
individual. Testing is recommended on day 5. If after day 5, there are no symptoms
then individual may return to school but mask must be worn through day 10.
» Universal mask policy counties (Masks are worn inside at all applicable times
regardless of the DHHR map color) do NOT have to quarantine students and staff
who have been exposed if masks are worn at the point of exposure (including
extracurricular activities).
» Staff and students who test positive must self-isolate for 5 days and may return on
day 6 if fever free for 24 hours and symptoms are improving. The individual must
wear a mask on days 6-10 and social distance anytime a mask can’t be worn such
as in the cafeteria. If a staff member or student does not want to wear a mask or
social distance for days 6-10, then they must remain home.
» Rapid tests and home testing are options for meeting testing requirements.
Participation in Extra-Curricular Activities
Exposed youth may return to school following CDC guidelines for individuals exposed to COVID-19 based on their vaccination status:
- Should wear a mask inside the school during days 6-10.
- Days 6-10 should not be allowed to participate in unmasked extracurricular activities without implementation of a test to play strategy. This prioritizes in-person instruction and keeps play safe.
- A test to play strategy recommends testing on the date the individual has been identified as a close contact and again 5 days after exposure to be allowed to participate in unmasked extracurricular activities.
- Must self-isolate for 5 days and if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving(without fever for 24 hours).
- Should wear a mask inside the school during days 6-10.
- It is recommended that youth who have tested positive for COVID-19 should not participate unmasked extracurricular activities during days 6-10 unless they obtain a negative antigen test result towards the end of the 5-day isolation period. Antigen tests should only be collected the individual has been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and other symptoms have improved (loss of taste and smell may persist for several weeks months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation)