Dear Voorheesville Parents and Caregivers:
Since the start of the school year, our goal has been to have our students in school, for in-person instruction, while also maintaining their health and safety. Helping to aid in that effort, the Albany County Department of Health (ACDOH) announced today that it is piloting a new quarantine policy that could reduce the length of quarantine.
Starting immediately, students found to be close contacts to COVID infections but not showing any signs or symptoms of a potential infection can test out of quarantine after seven days, instead of the current ten-day requirement.
In order for the quarantine to end, a COVID test must be conducted no sooner than the fifth day of quarantine and within 48 hours of the planned end of quarantine. Day five of quarantine is defined as the fifth day after an individual’s last documented close contact exposure to an individual infected with COVID. Quarantine cannot be discontinued earlier than after the seventh day.
Learn more about diagnostic COVID testing offered by our district.
Additionally, for the quarantine to end after seven days, the individual cannot have developed any COVID symptoms since their last exposure, including but not limited to:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
It’s important to note that this new policy does not apply to students who have already tested positive for COVID-19. A negative COVID-19 viral test result from a diagnostic specimen is required. Viral tests include both antigen tests and nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), which include but are not limited to PCR tests. These tests can be administered in pharmacies, healthcare provider offices, and in our school. At home tests are not allowed for this protocol
From ACDOH: 7 Day Test Out of Quarantine – Pilot in the PreK-12 School Setting
Thank you,
Frank Macri
Superintendent of Schools