Marion County Public Schools has adopted updated guidance for dealing with COVID-19 as provided by the Kentucky Department for Public Health.
You can view the entire guidance document from the KDPH here.
The guidance includes recommendations for both districts that require masks and those that are mask-optional. Currently, MCPS requires masks.
Based on the updated guidance, students and staff who are identified as close contacts through an exposure at school will no longer be required to quarantine as long as they are asymptomatic. While MCPS is no longer required to complete the full contact tracing process, when a student is a close contact, parents will be notified through the school district’s mass messaging system by email and text message. It is recommended that close contacts receive a COVID-19 test 5-7 days following the exposure.
Those who are close contacts from an exposure outside of school will need to quarantine if they are not fully vaccinated.
However, the Test-to-Stay program is now available to students and staff who were exposed to a positive case outside of school as long as they are asymptomatic. Previously, only in-school exposures were eligible for the Test-to-Stay program.
Isolation time for positive cases has also been adjusted. Those who test positive for COVID-19 can return to school after five days if they are not experiencing symptoms, and they can return to school after 10 days even if symptoms linger. Those who have no symptoms but test positive can return after five days from the positive case if they do not develop symptoms.