COVID-19 outbreaks with kids at school: What to know – Los Angeles Times

With children returning to school, one big question is what happens when new coronavirus cases occur on campus.

Early data from testing in L.A. schools show relatively few cases during the early days of the school year. As of Tuesday night, L.A. Unified officials reported seven cases that were possibly transmitted from one person to another while on a campus since the Aug. 16 start of school. The district also listed 2,304 total active infections among 451,000 students and 60,000 employees.

On Wednesday the district confirmed its first coronavirus outbreak at Grant Elementary School in Hollywood, sending home an entire classroom of children and potentially triggering new concerns for parents during a surge in infections caused by the highly contagious Delta variant.

Here is a look at what happens when a student or staff member tests positive:

Students who are on campus with symptoms of illness and when a coronavirus test indicates an infection will be given a surgical mask and accompanied to an isolation space until they can return home, according to L.A. County Department of Public Health policy.

A person is supposed to isolate at home for 10 days if experiencing symptoms of illness or after testing positive. The school, working with health officials, will identify those who have been in close contact with the infected person and then quarantine decisions will be made.

L.A. Unified revised its rules Monday to enable more students to avoid quarantine. Under the new policy, vaccinated students who are close contacts do not have to quarantine unless they develop symptoms. Close contacts who are vaccinated still must be tested five days after exposure. The districts new policy aligns with that of L.A. County.

Close contacts who are unvaccinated must quarantine for up to 10 days.

Visit link:

COVID-19 outbreaks with kids at school: What to know - Los Angeles Times