New Jersey Department of Health Updates for Schools - July 2022
The New Jersey Department of Health has issued updated guidance documents for schools regarding COVID protocols, vaccinations, contact tracing, quarantine procedures, and Test to Stay recommendations. The guidance emphasizes the importance of vaccination tracking, notification of cases, and a shift towards a transmission mitigation strategy in the 2022-2023 academic year.
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New Jersey Department of Health: Updates for Schools July 12, 2022
Links for 3 New Guidance Documents from NJDOH: Links for 3 New Guidance Documents from NJDOH: 1. Updated Recommendations for K-12: K-12_CC-Update_NJLINCS_7.8.2220220807 (002).pdf 2. Test to Stay Guidance: Test to Stay Guidance_7.6.2220220807 (002).pdf 3. Exposure Notification Template: v15_K12_CC_7.6.2220220807 (002).pdf
7/8/2022 Guidance on COVID Protocols for Schools 1 2 3 4 Vaccinations Vaccinations Contact Tracing Quarantine Quarantine Test to Stay Test to Stay Recommended for all per CDC guidelines General notifications to all stakeholders Only for those who are not up to date or unvaccinated members The broader use of testing for COVID exposure; parental permission and attestation will be needed Unvaccinated must test weekly
Summary of Changes by Category
VaccinesNo Change 2021-2022 Schools/ECE should have a mechanism in place to track vaccination status (including boosters) of students and staff. Vaccination status is needed to determine if quarantine is indicated following a COVID-19 exposure. If schools/ECE are unable to determine the vaccination status of individual students or staff, those individuals should be considered not up to date. 2022-2023 Schools/ECE should have a mechanism in place to track vaccination status (including boosters) of students and staff. Vaccination status is needed to determine if quarantine is indicated following a COVID-19 exposure. If schools/ECE are unable to determine the vaccination status of individual students or staff, those individuals should be considered not up to date.
Notification of Cases 2021-2022 Individual close contacts were notified, and letters were emailed to staff documenting each case daily. 2022-2023 A template for broad based notification of potential exposure with recommendations for exclusion for quarantine or participation in Test to Stay (TTS) is included in the guidance document.
Case Investigation and Contact Tracing 2021-2022 Contact Tracing for all COVID cases would result in the quarantine of all unvaccinated individuals that came in close contact with virus. 2022-2023 To support and prioritize uninterrupted, full-time, in-person learning and care, NJDOH has moved from an individual case- based response strategy to a transmission mitigation strategy, where the risk of the whole school community, including the risk of interruptions to learning, is considered.
Quarantine 2021-2022 Unvaccinated individuals required to quarantine after close contacts. 2022-2023 Removal of the language which recommended that siblings of students with COVID-19 compatible symptoms be excluded while waiting for test results for the symptomatic student. Recommendations for exclusion of household contacts who are not up to date with COVID-19 vaccination has not changed, they should continue to quarantine
1. Gather in Virtual Town Hall with all Stakeholders to review changes to guidance (7/19/22) 2. Distribute update to all Stakeholders on changes to protocols (8/12/22) What s Next for PPSD 3. Purchase Vaccine App and Additional Home Tests (8/15/22) 4. Review changes to protocol with Board of Education (8/16/22) 5. Reauthorize Road Forward Committee to COVID Road Committee (8/19/22) 6. Create contingencies for protocols for all CALI Levels (8/31/22)
