What Is Considered Close Contact At School? On Bus?

[broadstreet zone=”53230″]

MALDEN – The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has updated its quarantine guidance for close contacts. The new policy was approved by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services after consultation with the Governor’s Medical Advisory Board on COVID-19 and other medical advisors.

Close contacts who were exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual in the classroom or on the bus while both individuals were masked do not have to quarantine unless they were within 3 feet of distance of the COVID-19 positive individual for a total of 15 minutes during a 24-hour period.

[broadstreet zone=”54526″]

This does not apply if someone was identified as a close contact outside the classroom or bus (e.g., in sports, extracurriculars, lunch, etc.) or if masks are not worn by both persons at the time of the exposure.

All other close contacts must follow the standard protocol for when a close contact may return to school.

The full guidance is posted on the Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) COVID-19 guidance page.

[broadstreet zone=”59947″]