New quarantine guidance for Ohio's K-12 schools means students can stay in class

Ohio is changing its guidance on quarantining kids who have been exposed to the coronavirus in a school setting. The change comes after a pilot program in Warren County showed students could stay in school, wearing masks, without spreading the virus. And this is meant to keep kids learning in classrooms rather than having to sit out at home.

In the past, when unvaccinated and unmasked students were exposed to COVID-19 in school, they had to stay home for up to 14 days. Ohio Dept of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said the new “Mask to Stay" and "Mask to Play” options will allow students who have been exposed in school to stay in class and extracurricular activities as long as they wear a mask and don’t have symptoms.

“The updated quarantine guidelines we are sharing today will allow for as much in-school learning as possible," Vanderhoff said.

Vanderhoff says children could return to class in five to seven days if they test negative for the virus.

The state is preparing for FDA and CDC approval of vaccines for children ages five to 11 years old, he said, adding that vaccinating students should help keep prevent the spread of the virus. That announcement is expected soon and as soon as it comes, Vanderhoff says the state will quickly get vaccines to providers.

He says all of the children who have been hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ohio’s children’s hospitals are unvaccinated.

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