Jackson School District updates COVID-19 procedures

The Jackson School Board unanimously approved changes to the district's COVID-19 procedures at the board's meeting Tuesday night.

Changes to the district's procedures were made in part to reflect recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, superintendent Scott Smith said at the meeting.

Last month, the CDC shortened the recommended time of isolation for people with COVID-19 from 10 to five days. If no symptoms appear, the CDC recommends masking for five days after the five-day isolation period.

Under the district's new procedures, students who test positive for COVID-19 or are presumed positive by their physician must wear a mask for five days instead of 10 after symptoms have improved and they are fever free for 24 hours.

The district removed a test-to-stay option because of a low supply of tests, Smith said.

The district will still provide tests to athletes in grades nine through 12 whose sport is in season. Students may participate in their in-season extracurriculars if they receive a minimum of two negative results from rapid antigen tests.

The Jackson School District has recommended but not required masks all school year.

According to the most recent update of the district's COVID-19 dashboard online, 27 out of the district's 5,728 students were positive for COVID-19 as of Dec. 13. Thirty-three students were quarantined.

A total of three staff members tested positive for the virus and one was quarantined as of Dec. 13.