Dupage Policy Journal

Today, January 7, 2022, the Illinois Department of Public Health(IDPH), Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the DuPage County Health Department announced that they have adopted CDC guidance for PK-12 schools that halves the isolation and quarantine period. The Centers for Disease Control updated its guidance for P-12 schools on January 6.   

As a result, effective immediately, Indian Prairie School District will implement the updated guidance. This means your child’s return date may now change though you may have been told something differently earlier this week.  

Contributed photo | www.blackboard.com

Today’s announcement does not change the state of Illinois’ mask requirement for anyone inside school buildings. The Governor’s indoor mask mandate for school is still in effect until further notice. 

Students who are currently impacted by isolation now have a revised return to school date. The day your child tested positive or first had symptoms is considered day zero.  Your child can return to school on the sixth day after being notified of the test results or having symptoms.  Please see the chart below, as an example, of when to send your child back to school.

 

 

Unvaccinated students and not boosted staff members who are close contacts are now required to quarantine for 5 days. The following is a table with the revised return to school dates. 

If an unvaccinated student or not boosted staff member was a close contact on the following:

In addition, I want to pass along information from IDPH and CDC related to quarantine and recommended isolation periods. Below is summary information.

What is quarantine? 

Quarantine means staying home for at least 5 days after exposure to someone diagnosed with COVID-19. This is because someone can be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 but may not show symptoms. Even though someone may not show symptoms, they can still spread the virus.

 

Quarantine is different from isolation. Isolation is used by someone who has symptoms of COVID-19, or tests positive for the virus that causes COVID-19, even if they don’t have symptoms. Isolation helps prevent transmission of the virus by separating people infected with the virus from those who are not infected.

How does this new isolation guidance impact staff and students if they test positive for COVID-19?

How does the new quarantine guidance impact staff and students who are considered close contacts to someone who tested positive with COVID-19?

Thank you for your continued support of our students and teachers. It’s been an incredibly difficult year, but we will continue to push forward together. 

If you have questions, please contact your Registered Nurse for more information.  We know this changing information can be confusing and overwhelming; however, we know we can work together to support our students and staff.   

Sincerely, 

Adrian B. Talley, Ed.D. 

Superintendent

Please do not reply to this message. Replies to this message are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions or comments, please email us at 204-enews@ipsd.org.