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Henrico Schools adjusts COVID quarantine rules for students and staff

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HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Most Henrico County Schools students and staff who are fully vaccinated now no longer have to quarantine if they've been identified as a close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. The change goes into effect starting Friday, January 14.

"Out of an abundance of caution, isolation protocols for individuals testing positive for COVID are not changing at this time due to high community transmission levels," an email from Henrico Schools read. "The changes align with new CDC and Virginia Health Department guidance and reflect input from the HCPS Health Committee."

Who needs to quarantine?

Students and employees who are identified as a close contact (through contact tracing) of someone with COVID, should remain home in quarantine for at least 5 full days after their last close contact if one of the following applies:

  • They are unvaccinated
  • They have not completed the primary vaccine series (two doses of Moderna or Pfizer; a single dose of Johnson & Johnson).
  • They are ages 18 and older who completed the primary series of the recommended vaccines but have not received a booster shot when eligible (6 months after primary 
  • series).

Who doesn’t need to quarantine?

Students and employees do not need to quarantine after being identified as a close contact to someone with COVID-19 they are:

  • Ages 18 and older and completed the primary vaccine series and received the booster dose when eligible (6 months after primary series).
  • Ages 5-17 and completed the primary vaccine series.
  • Less than 90 days after testing positive for COVID-19.

What are isolation HCPS protocols?

Students and employees who test positive for COVID-19 should isolate at home for 10 days and refer to this information about student learning during quarantine or isolation.

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