The Bay Area’s Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD) updated its COVID-19 isolation guidance policies for students and staff starting in early January of this year.
An email sent out by SUHSD communications on Jan. 17, 2024, addresses new policies regarding the school district’s stance on COVID-19 isolation and prevention.
The school district announced they would be moving towards a symptom-based exclusion approach rather than the mandatory five-day isolation approach that the district previously maintained.
While the decline of COVID-19 in the public eye has been decreasing steadily, some still worry about its lasting effects on our society and the harm it could cause if it returns.
“I don’t know if we really need to be changing things up right now,” said Theo Sherrer, a sophomore at Carlmont High School. “I just worry that COVID-19 is more relevant than most people think.”
While California is still dealing with the leftover effects of COVID-19, the current period has shown reduced impacts of the disease, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
The CDPH is encouraging mass vaccination mandates for all ages as an effective measure to prevent COVID-19, which is a crucial reason why they are willing to move towards more lenient policies.
The most significant change is a move to a symptom-based exclusion approach, where instead of waiting to receive a negative test result, students can return to school activities when demonstrating mild to improving symptoms.
In addition, instead of a mandatory five days of quarantine for anyone who tests positive, students who don’t display fever-like symptoms for 24 hours are permitted to return to school.
While many policies are changing, the SUHSD still recommends wearing a mask for at least 10 days to prevent the disease from spreading further.
Carlmont’s parents have voiced solid desires for a shorter quarantine period and more relaxed precautions.
“I think that we are ready for a change,” said Michelle Lago, a parent at Carlmont High School and former PTA President for a local middle school. “Covid was such a life interrupter, so I think it’s time to treat it more or less like any other illness.”
Many reciprocate Lago’s sentiments and hope for COVID-19 school and state policies to trend less strict.
“I believe living with the virus is now as normal as the flu, and if we stay safe and take the necessary precautions, we can live alongside it,” said Carlmont parent Sarah Ryan.
