Weiser School District updates quarantine restrictions

 At the regularly scheduled Weiser school board meeting on Monday, the trustees of the school board passed a proposal to update the current quarantine restrictions. Per information given to the board from Southwest District Health, trustees voted to reduce the amount of days required for quarantine after exposure to a positive case of COVID-19.

 SWDH has mirrored the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control for quarantine guidelines, said Superintendent Wade Wilson. The CDC and SWDH have recommended an allowance to reduce the amount of time for quarantine after exposure. A total of 14 days is still considered the best option to ensure safety, however now a total of either seven or ten days are acceptable with specific measures followed. 

 To reenter the public after ten days, an exposed individual must exhibit no symptoms of the virus throughout all ten days. After reentry, the exposed individual must continue to wear a mask, social distance and be diligent about sanitizing areas.

 To reenter the public after seven days, an exposed individual must receive a PCR test, or deep nasal swab. Considered the most reliable form of testing by the CDC, a PCR test must be taken after at least five days from exposure. If the test is negative, an individual may reenter after a seven-day quarantine. 

 Along with the ten-day quarantine, individuals are advised to continue to wear a face mask, social distance and sanitize areas after their quarantine.

 The agenda item was initially discussed at a special meeting held Dec. 7 and was tabled for this week’s regular meeting to await information from SWDH. After Wilson presented the board with the information at Monday’s meeting, the trustees discussed the pros and cons of the proposal. 

 An overall goal of the school board is to allow students to physically attend school as much as possible. School district nurse Karma Laan said the SWDH appears to lean toward the ten-day recommendation because of the current availability of the PCR test in the area. The PCR test is not currently available for individuals who are asymptomatic or showing no apparent symptoms for the virus. 

 If an individual is asymptomatic, insurance does not cover the costs of the PCR test. Both limitations are the largest potential barriers to allowing a seven-day quarantine time, said Laan.

 A procedural checklist to provide parents on items and precautions that must take place before reentry to school was suggested by Wilson. If a student does receive a PCR test and wishes to return to school after a seven-day quarantine, the results are likely to be given to the school in which the student is enrolled.

 “Everything needs to go through a protocol in order for a child to come back in,” said Wilson.

 Currently, any time a medical release is given to the school district, the information is placed in a specific file for the students. The information is kept in a vault and has limited access, and the medical information provided regarding COVID-19 and a seven-day quarantine will likely be handled similarly.

 School sports will continue to limit spectators to only coaches, players and essential staff. Discussion regarding students who have finished the seven to ten day quarantine is still underway, however students will likely still be allowed to observe practice and learn any new content such as game plays.