BRENHAM ISD UPDATES COVID-19 PROTOCOLS
Brenham ISD has adjusted its COVID-19 protocols to align with new recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The district updated its back-to-school plan on Wednesday to reflect the CDC’s changes last month to the recommended quarantine timeline.
A 10-day quarantine period will no longer be required in most cases; anyone who tests positive will need to isolate for five days, and they will be allowed to return to school if they have no symptoms or if their symptoms are resolving, but they must wear a mask for five additional days. For Early Childhood Learning Center students who test positive, they must complete the 10-day quarantine if they cannot wear a mask for the last five days.
According to Brenham ISD Health and Safety Director Jamie Woodall, the CDC made the changes after stating the virus spreads the most during the early stages of illness.
Woodall noted that with the alterations, individuals will be allowed to return if their symptoms are resolving, not necessarily fully resolved. She said this is because of research into post-COVID conditions that can last well after being infected.
Woodall said while it may seem counter-productive to reduce the time to quarantine with the emergence of the Omicron variant, early data suggests it may be less severe than previous forms of the virus.
Woodall said the district saw a similar spike in cases in the fall with the Delta variant, but it was short-lived overall. She hopes and believes that trend will continue this spring.
Wouldn’t having to wear a mask for 5 additional days when returning to school be a violation of Governor Abbott’s Executive Order GA-36? Where in the CDC guidance is this a recommendation anyway? If I missed it, and this recommendation is not in the guidance, I would like BISD to provide information proving this beneficial.
Having to wear a mask, when obviously considered no longer contagious by being allowed to return to school, makes no sense (besides the fact that they do not work and cause more harm).
When it comes to enforcement upon the students, how can staff be expected to keep up with who is supposed to be wearing a mask or not? It would seem impossible, likely causing a lot of distraction and stress to these staff members. HOPEFULLY this is all just posturing, otherwise it adds to a long list of INSANITY.