The days of testing to stay in school are over for New York.
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday previewed the state’s plans to adopt the latest CDC guidance pertaining to schools and COVID-19 public safety practices ahead of the academic year’s start.
The federal public health agency relaxed its guidelines on Aug. 11, dropping the recommendation that people quarantine after having a close contact with someone who is COVID-positive and the advice to stay 6 feet apart from others.
When it comes to schools, the CDC specifically dropped “test-to-stay,” the need for students to test in order to attend school in person if they had been exposed.
Previous school health rules dictated entire classrooms be sent home to quarantine if a student tested positive for COVID-19.
The Monday announcement was paired with a brief data report highlighting the statewide improvements in COVID infections and hospitalizations, compared against stats from one year ago and the previously devastating omicron wave. For every 100,000 New York residents, the governor said only 23 people were testing positive — that’s down from 381 at omicron’s peak.
Hochul said the state is updating the following guidance to align with the CDC:
- Wear a mask if you’re exposed to COVID-19
- If you feel sick, take a COVID-19 test
- If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home for 5 days – you can return with a mask when symptoms resolve
- Schools can choose to test for “close contact” activities
The state’s current stockpile of 14.5 million testing kits will aid schools in providing every student with a kit at the start of the academic year.
New York’s COVID-19 emergency declaration could also be coming to an end, Hochul suggested Monday. Once the state gets past the first month of the academic school year, the governor said she would reassess the order, which has been extended on a monthly basis.
