(KRON) -- Thousands of students in the Oakland Unified School District are returning to their classrooms after winter break with less COVID-19 rules imposed by the district.
OUSD announced new COVID isolation protocols Monday for students and school staff members based on updated guidance from the California Department of Public Health.
In a turnaround from 2020's strict stay-at-home protocols, students can now go to class even if they test positive for the virus, according to a message from the OUSD COVID Response Team.
COVID-positive students no longer have to stay home, as long as they do not have any symptoms, according to district officials. Asymptomatic, COVID-positive students should wear a mask at school while indoors, the response team added.
Wearing a mask at school is optional for staff members and students. The Oakland Unified School District dropped its masking mandate in April of 2022, allowing individuals to make their own choice.
- If you test positive for COVID-19 and are experiencing symptoms: Staff and students should stay home until you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever reducing medication, and your symptoms improve. Mask when you are around other people indoors for 10 days after you become sick or test positive.
- If you test positive for COVID-19 and are not experiencing symptoms: Staff and students "can continue to come to work/school," OUSD officials wrote. You are encouraged to follow these two CDPH recommendations as well: 1. Avoid contact with people at higher-risk for 10 days. High-risk individuals include the elderly and people who have immunocompromising conditions. 2. Mask when you are around other people indoors for the 10 days after you test positive.
- "Day 0" is considered when you begin to experience symptoms, or when your first positive test is taken.
School staff members and students' families are asked to report all positive COVID cases by using the district's online case reporting form. Parents and caregivers are asked to report all COVID-related absences by following their school's standard absence protocols.
More than 34,000 students are enrolled in Oakland Unified School District schools.
California Department of Public Health officials said impacts from COVID are reduced, compared to prior years, because of "broad immunity from vaccination and/or natural infection, and readily available treatments for infected people."
CDPH's current guidance is "focused on protecting those most at risk for serious illness, while reducing social disruption that is disproportionate to recommendations for the prevention of other endemic respiratory viral infections."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been tracking the growth of the JN.1 COVID-19 variant this winter. According to the CDC, JN.1 is the most widely spread variant in the United States, and updated vaccines produce antibodies that protect against it.
Via Coronavirus | KRON4 https://www.kron4.com
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