January 24, 2022
Dear Chatham CSD Parents and Guardians:
The New York State Department of Health recently updated its guidance for COVID-19 isolation and quarantine, which formally ends most contact tracing requirements.
While the new guidance (and a January 18 memo from the New York State Education Department) states that schools are not required to do contact tracing, we will continue to follow our notification protocols for any close contacts of positive cases within our building.
If you are notified by school personnel that your child is a close contact, you must follow the guidance for COVID-19 isolation and quarantine. The state also provided a quarantine and isolation chart, which can be viewed here.
Please note that you will no longer receive a phone call or quarantine/isolation affirmation or release forms from the county health department. Additional information on New York State’s approach to isolation and quarantine can be found online at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/new-york-state-contact-tracing.
Home Testing Option
The new guidance also provides schools with the option to offer a home test program in order to allow more of our asymptomatic students to safely remain in school following an exposure. In conjunction with other school districts in our region, we will be implementing a home testing option for unvaccinated staff or students who are exposed to a confirmed positive case but are asymptomatic. These unvaccinated individuals, who otherwise must stay home from school due to quarantine, can remain at school/work under the following home testing protocols.
Asymptomatic unvaccinated close contacts (students or staff) can continue to attend classes/work by testing negative through home testing during a five-day period following exposure.
Any unvaccinated student who is identified as a close contact will be given a test kit by the District when they are notified of the exposure. These will be COVID-19 rapid antigen home test kits provided by New York State.
Testing must occur on the mornings of day 3 following exposure and then again on day 5, prior to the start of the school day. The results of the home test must be communicated to the District via a form that will be provided to families as necessary. Parents/guardians will need to complete this form and upload a picture of the test result, whether it is positive or negative. If the test result is negative, your child may continue to attend school. If the result is positive, your child should immediately follow all isolation guidance.
Individuals must not be presenting symptoms at any time during the testing period. If the exposed individual develops symptoms, they must be immediately excluded from school and follow isolation guidance.
Individuals will still be required to follow quarantine protocols outside of attending school/work, per NYSDOH guidance. Students and staff will not be permitted to participate in extracurricular, after-school, or community activities (work-based learning, clubs, etc.) during quarantine periods.
Parents may choose to have their child quarantine at home instead of using the home testing option.
This change in state guidance shifts us towards more personal responsibility and accountability. Ultimately, the best way to avoid being a close contact or infecting others is to continue to follow COVID-19 mitigation protocols, including physical distancing, wearing a well-fitting mask, and staying home if you are sick.
If your child becomes ill at school, we continue to be able to test them using our point-of-care testing machines (with your prior consent).
Also, the Columbia County Department of Health is offering lab-confirmed COVID-19 testing for students attending Columbia County schools. CCDOH will be at the Chatham Firehouse on Wednesdays from 9:00-10:45 a.m. and at the AB Shaw Firehouse in Claverack on Mondays and Thursdays 9:00-10:45 a.m. Visit https://www.columbiacountynyhealth.com/home/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-19-isolation-and-quarantine/ for more information.
Thank you for your continued cooperation, flexibility, and patience as we continue to navigate this pandemic together.
Sincerely,
Sal DeAngelo
Superintendent of Schools