PRINT ARTICLE

Dear Indian Hill School District Families:

Recently, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) amended its in-school COVID-19 close contact quarantine guidelines. Under the new guidance, Ohio schools can provide two options to students and staff identified as close contacts for exposure to someone with COVID-19 in school: Mask to Stay and Test to Play.

Mask to Stay
For the Mask to Stay option, those who are directly exposed, regardless of vaccination status, can remain in the classroom as long as they:
• Wear a mask for 14 days after exposure 
• Self-monitor for symptoms 
• Isolate and get tested if they experience symptoms 
• Discontinue quarantine after seven days if they remain asymptomatic, and test negative between days five and seven 

Test to Play
The Test to Play option applies to participation in extracurricular activities after a person is exposed to someone with the virus. In that instance, those who are asymptomatic can continue to participate if they: 
• Wear a mask whenever able (during transportation, in a locker room, etc.) 
• Take a COVID-19 test as soon as possible after learning about exposure 
• Take another test within days five and seven of initial exposure 

The approved tests must be either a PCR or a rapid antigen test. Those who test negative both times can exit the quarantine protocol after day seven. 

Those students or staff who choose to participate in these options will need to show proof of testing results to school nurses as part of our ongoing ODH Class-A reporting requirements.

As a reminder, those who are fully vaccinated and consistently wear masks do not need to quarantine if exposed to COVID-19, per previous guidance. 

In service to our children,

Kirk Koennecke
Superintendent
Indian Hill School District