Howards Grove -

Dear Howards Grove Parents & Guardians: 

After well-informed discussions and careful consideration of the new guidance brought forth from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WI DHS), Howards Grove School District has made the decision to adopt the CDC’s newly updated COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Guidelines.  This decision will be effective immediately.  

 Accumulating evidence demonstrates the majority of transmission occurs during the early periods of infection.  The updated guidance shortens the duration of time an individual needs to stay in isolation (for asymptomatic and mildly ill individuals) and quarantine periods (for household close contacts):

 Individuals Testing Positive For COVID-19:

1. Must remain isolated at home for at least 5 days
   1. Onset of symptoms is day zero
   2. If asymptomatic, the day of testing is day zero
2. If symptoms persist longer than 5 days, an individual may be asked to extend their isolation period
3. Isolation period is then followed by 5 days of strict mask wearing. 

• If masking is not possible or unwanted, the individual will be asked to isolate at home for the full 10 days, and school will provide virtual instruction

1. Before returning to school an individual must: 
   1. Be fever-free for 24 hours without the help of any fever-reducing medication 
   2. Experience at least 24 hours of significant symptom improvement
2. A negative test is not required to return to school

 Household close contacts to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19:

For individuals who are unvaccinated or are more than six months out from their second mRNA dose (or more than 2 months after the J&J vaccine) and not yet boosted:

• They are required to quarantine for 5 days followed by strict mask use for an additional 5 days
• The 5 day quarantine starts on the last exposure to the positive case while that person is in their contagious period
• Contagious period includes 2 days prior to symptom onset through the end of the positive case’s isolation period
• If masking is not possible while at school, the individual will be asked to quarantine at home for the full 10 days, and school will provide virtual instruction
• If symptomatic, an individual will be required to immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19 before returning to school
• If no symptoms occur, a negative test is not required to return to school

For individuals who are fully vaccinated (less than six months out from their second mRNA dose or more than two months after the J&J vaccine) or have received their booster dose:

o    Do not need to quarantine following an exposure

o    Recommended to mask during ongoing exposure and for 10 days after last exposure

o    Best practice would include testing at day 5 after last exposure, but not required

o    If symptomatic, an individual will be required to immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19

Please refer to the full Howards Grove Mitigation Response for a Safe Return, available on the school district’s website.  Thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate through these guideline updates together.