HARVEY, La. (WGNO) — Following the Louisiana Department of Education’s recent decision to let parents decide whether their child should quarantine after COVID-19 exposure, school districts across the state must decide how to move forward when it comes to adopting the plan.
Jefferson Parish Schools announced Thursday it would not be adopting the state’s new option to leave quarantining up to parents. Instead, it will maintain the current guidelines adopted in its Start Strong Jefferson plan, which was developed using guidance from the LDH, CDC, and local healthcare professionals.
The plan’s current guidelines for COVID-19 exposure state:
- Close contacts of a COVID-19 positive individual must stay home for 10-14 days following exposure
- If no symptoms develop during quarantine and no testing is done, the individual may quarantine for 10-14 days from last contact with a COVID-19 case
- If quarantine is shortened, daily symptom monitoring and strict adherence to prevention measures including physical distancing, hand washing, and wearing face masks should continue until 14 days from last contact with a COVID-19 case
In a statement announcing the school district’s decision, JP Schools Superintendent Dr. James Gray said:
“We are experts in education. We are not experts on the virus. That’s why we’ve continued to
work side-by-side with local and state medical experts since before the first case of
COVID-19 in Jefferson Parish. After consulting with medical professionals, we have decided not to implement this option at our schools.Our Start Strong Jefferson guidelines are based on the best information available today. We
will continue to work with medical experts to ensure our mitigation measures prioritize the
safety of students and employees and are appropriate for the current health situation. As the virus and medical recommendations evolve, we will adjust our plans accordingly.”