Missouri guidance change seeks to reduce school quarantines
O'FALLON, Mo. -- Gov. Mike Parson on Thursday announced new guidance aimed at keeping more students, teachers and staff in school, even those who have been exposed to the coronavirus, citing concerns quarantines interrupt learning and create staff shortages.
But the change was quickly dismissed by leaders of Kansas City, St. Louis city and St. Louis County, who said schools should continue to require quarantines for anyone who has direct contact with someone with the virus.
Currently, anyone in a K-12 setting who is directly exposed to the coronavirus must quarantine for 14 days. The new guidance does not require quarantining if both the infected person and the person exposed wore masks.
The change comes as the virus continues to surge, with Missouri reporting 4,603 confirmed new cases Thursday, 16 more deaths and a record 2,248 people in hospitals. The state has cited 225,371 confirmed cases and 3,339 deaths since the pandemic began. The current positivity rate of 22.4% is more than four times the benchmark recommended by the World Health Organization.
Read more: https://www.semissourian.com/story/2847574.html
(Cape Girardeau Southeast Missourian)