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We are reaching out with an important clarification and update related to isolation and quarantine options following a COVID-19 exposure in child care and early education settings.
Clarification: The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Minnesota Department of Health continue to recommend a 14-day quarantine as the safest option. However, programs can use shortened quarantine options for unvaccinated staff or children in their programs. The shortened quarantine options include a 10-day quarantine or a 7-day quarantine with testing. These options are outlined in the MDH decision tree: Recommended COVID-19 Decision Tree for People in Schools, Youth Programs, and Child Care Programs (PDF). An unvaccinated staff member or child can qualify for a shortened quarantine, if:
- The person does not have symptoms and does not develop symptoms.
- The person does not live with someone who has COVID-19 and cannot separate themselves from others (self-isolate).
- The person had an exposure that has a beginning and end, such as an exposure that happened at school, a sporting event, or social gather.
- For a 7-day quarantine, the person needs to also get tested for COVID-19 at least five full days after the exposure, and the test is negative.
Shortened quarantine does not apply to household contacts that cannot self-isolate completely within the home. Self-isolation means that the person who tests positive has no contact with other household members, sleeps in their own bedroom, and does not share a bathroom or kitchen with anyone else in the household. Unvaccinated household contacts should quarantine for 14 days from their last date of exposure to the person who tested positive. More information is available in Quarantine Guidance for COVID-19. Guidance related questions can be sent to health.schools.covid19@state.mn.us.
Update: MDH has updated its quarantine guidance related to testing and shortened quarantine. Until now, a molecular test was the only option for testing to return to child care or other programs following a shortened 7-day quarantine. This guidance has been updated to allow for antigen tests to be used for a shortened 7-day quarantine as well. Here is a summary:
- If the person has a test that requires only a single test (rather than a series of two tests), the test should be performed no earlier than day fiveand as close to day seven after the last exposure as possible. If the test is negative, the person may resume regular activities on day eight (i.e., PCR or CUE test).
- If the person has a rapid antigen test that is meant to be performed “serially” (meaning two tests are required over a specific time period), the final test in the series should be performed on day seven after the last exposure. Examples of rapid antigen tests that are meant to be performed serially are BinaxNow OTCand BD Veritor™.
Resources on testing for child care and early education settings are available at COVID-19 Testing During the 2021-22 School Year - Minnesota Dept. of Health (state.mn.us). Questions related to test kits available for child care programs can be directed to COVIDTesting.MDE@state.mn.us.
Thank you for all you do to help keep staff and children healthy and prevent spread of COVID-19.
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