Know Before You Go: Heading Back to Public Schools in Massachusetts
As time continues to tick, many Massachusetts parents are still wondering if their child’s school will open and how that will look as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Many worry as…
HYDE, ENGLAND – JULY 16: Spare face masks are seen on a teachers desk as a classroom is set out for social distancing at Longdendale High School on July 16, 2020 in Hyde, England. The Government plan to spend GBP 1 billion to help pupils catch up with their education before September after spending months out of school during the coronavirus lockdown. (Photo by Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)
As time continues to tick, many Massachusetts parents are still wondering if their child’s school will open and how that will look as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Many worry as it could take one child to infect a classroom full of others.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education just released a 19 page document outlining protocols. It answers such questions as:
· What should a district do if there is a symptomatic individual – at home, on the bus, or at school?
· What should a district do if someone in the school community tests positive for COVID-19 – be it a student, teacher, staff, or bus driver, or one of their household members or close contacts?
· Who should get tested for COVID-19 and when?
· In what circumstances would someone need to quarantine (when they have been exposed but are not sick) or isolate (when they are sick)?
· What should school districts do to monitor COVID-19 spread in their communities?
Learn more about Massachusetts guidelines in the event of a school outbreak.
