Steuben County is shifting gears with the coronavirus pandemic. Officials there are changing the guidelines for students and staff in Steuben who are under quarantine.
Here’s the change: If a student or staffer is exposed to a positive case – they can remain in school and continue attending classes in-person if they provide a negative test each day, for seven consecutive days after the exposure to COVID-19.
It applies to asymptomatic students and non-vaccinated staff. Fully vaccinated asymptomatic people are not required to quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID.
Symptomatic quarantined students and staff will still be excluded from school activities.
Steuben County Public Health will provide tests to schools that choose to participate in the test-to-stay program.
“We have had many discussions with school superintendents this year who are concerned with the number of students who have missed instruction time due to quarantine,” said Public Health Director Darlene Smith. “[Test-to-stay] offers an option for asymptomatic students and staff to remain in school as safely as possible.”
Students will have to be tested in the morning before entering the classroom and cannot ride the bus. They also may only go from home to school. Extracurricular activities will not be allowed until the quarantine timeline has been fulfilled.
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