(UNDATED) – Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb during his held weekly COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday afternoon detailed some changes involving schools in the Hoosier State.
Dr. Kristina Box stressed the point that Hoosiers are not yet out of the woods.
She detailed a care package heading to Indiana schools.
Effective Monday, Feb. 8, schools will no longer be required to quarantine or contact trace if students and teachers remain at least three feet apart and are wearing a mask at all times while inside a classroom, Indiana Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box announced.
If a teacher or student does require quarantining, here are the options:
- A 14-day quarantine is still the safest.
- A 10-day quarantine is optional if the person never developed symptoms and wears a mask at all times when returning to school.
- A seven-day quarantine if a negative PCR nasal swab test is conducted on day five, six, seven, or a negative rapid antigen test upon return to school on day eight.
One million KN95 masks will be going to schools for staff and students as well as an additional 600,000 masks for K-6 students. Those shipments will start next week.
The state will also be providing BinaxNOW antigen test cards. These are nasal swab rapid tests to help schools test symptomatic students and teachers. That way, if a student or teacher is positive, the school will know immediately and can more quickly isolate them.
Around 256,000 tests will be shipped out to schools next week. Each school will receive an initial shipment of 120 tests, but more can be ordered if needed.
