The current practice of Talbot County Public Schools has required that an asymptomatic student who is a close contact with a positive case of COVID-19 must quarantine at home. Beginning Monday, November 29, 2021, TCPS will offer a modified process for these students.
With masking:
In settings where all students are masked, an asymptomatic student who is identified as a close contact may no longer be required to quarantine from school.
Parents may now choose from the following:
1. QUARANTINE CHOICE – If parents choose to keep an asymptomatic child home to quarantine, they should notify the school and the absence will be excused until a specified return date if all work is completed.
2. TEST TO STAY CHOICE – Parents must consent to a rapid test every other day for their student to stay in school and not quarantine. (three tests total) If at any time during this period, the student develops symptoms of COVID-19, they MUST stay home to quarantine and get tested immediately.
a. The student must continue to wear a mask properly for 14 days after the exposure in all settings.
b. The student cannot participate in activities within a school or public setting for 14 days where universal masking and social distancing are not in place. This includes sports and extracurricular activities.
Parents will be notified by school messenger only if their child is identified as a close contact while masked. Close contact is defined as someone in contact within three (3) feet of a positive person for more than fifteen (15) minutes. Parents should ensure their email address is current with the school, and check their email regularly.
Without masking:
All students who are identified as close contacts while not wearing a mask (such as during meals) MUST continue to be quarantined at home and CANNOT choose Test to Stay.
Parents will be notified by phone, followed by a letter in the mail or school messenger. There are two options for quarantined students:
Option A: Quarantine at home for 10 days from the last date of known exposure without testing. Your child can return as long as they remain without symptoms after these 10 days.
Option B: Quarantine at home for 7 days from the last date of known exposure with testing on or after day 5 from exposure. Your child can return to school on day 9 with a negative test result.
To avoid quarantining we encourage all eligible children to be vaccinated and also be mindful of the three-foot rule while at school to the extent possible.
