Gates Chili Central School District

Dear Gates Chili School Community,

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we waded through the daily (and sometimes hourly) COVID-19 protocol changes this week. We’re told more changes are coming over the weekend, but in the meantime, we have some new information we can share with you.

ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE CHANGES

The previous guidelines for a return to school required a ten-day isolation period. It was confirmed today that new guidelines adopted by Monroe County will apply to schools as well and the isolation period has been shortened from 10 to five days for staff AND students. For the time being, if you have been working with your school nurse on a 10-day isolation, that isolation is now shortened to five days. Your student may return to school on day 6 provided they adhere to the below requirements. Please review these updates carefully:

Are you fully vaccinated and boosted OR fully vaccinated and not yet eligible for a booster?

• If you test positive for COVID
  • You must isolate for five days beginning the day you started having symptoms or, if you are asymptomatic, the day you took your COVID test. (i.e., the day symptoms started is Day 0, the next day is Day 1, etc.)
  • If you are asymptomatic at the end of five days or your symptoms are resolving, your isolation ends.
  • You must wear a well-fitting mask when around other people for five days after your five-day isolation.
  • If you cannot tolerate a mask or you still have symptoms, you must stay in isolation for 10 days total.
• If you are exposed to someone with COVID:
  • No quarantine is required, but you should wear a well-fitting mask when around others for 10 days starting with the date of your last exposure.
  • If symptoms appear, quarantine and seek testing.
  • Quarantine ends if the test is negative or, if testing is not done, you isolate according to the guidance above.

Are you not fully vaccinated OR fully vaccinated and eligible for a booster, but not yet boosted?

• If you test positive for COVID:
  • You must isolate for five days beginning the day you started having symptoms or, if you are asymptomatic, the day you took your COVID test. (i.e., the day symptoms started is Day 0, the next day is Day 1, etc.)
  • If you are asymptomatic at the end of five days or your symptoms are resolving, your isolation ends.
  • You must wear a well-fitting mask when around other people for five days after your five-day isolation.
  • If you cannot tolerate a mask or you still have symptoms, you must stay in isolation for 10 days total.
• If you are exposed to someone with COVID:
  • You must quarantine for five days beginning on the date of your last exposure
  • You must wear a well-fitting mask when around other people for five days after your five-day quarantine.

We expect all county forms and flowcharts to be updated shortly and will share them as soon as they are available. Please see this Frequently Asked Questions document from the Monroe County Department of Public Health.