DHEC updates school and childcare center guidance towards endemic phase

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– On Tuesday, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control issued updated guidance for schools and childcare centers as coronavirus cases decline. Officials say the updated guidance helps transition from Test to Stay and quarantine procedures towards living with the virus with minimal disruptions.

“DHEC recognizes that our state’s two-year response to this virus has had a significant impact on our families, children, and educators,” said DHEC Director Dr. Edward Simmer. “Our updated guidance recognizes that COVID-19 is an illness that we now need to treat and manage as endemic, and will help our schools, childcare centers, and ultimately all of us make that transition. At the same time, it also allows us to respond quickly should another surge or impactful new variant arise.”

DHEC says the the guidance is similar to their guidance for influenza, but it is not identical. The new guidance applies to specific schools, not entire school districts.

According to DHEC, schools and childcare centers can suspend the Test to Stay or quarantine once it has two consecutive weeks with less than 10% of students and staff having COVID-19. Once this happens, DHEC says contact tracing, testing and masking of close contacts will no longer be required.

DHEC says the first two-week period applying to this ends February 28, and the health agency expects most schools and childcare centers will be able to suspend Test to Stay and quarantine at that time. Officials add that schools will still continue reporting virus data to DHEC weekly, with Test to Stay and quarantine being reinstated if a school has two consecutive weeks with more than 10% of students and staff testing positive for the virus.

DHEC says isolation requirements for those who test positive remain unchanged.

Officials continue to encourage South Carolinians to get vaccinated as they say it is the most effective way to control the virus.

You can read the full updated guidance by clicking here.