Tri-Cities school districts shorten quarantines for students faced with COVID contact

The quarantine procedures for Tri-Cities schools are changing following a backlash from parents and school leaders.

While 14 days of quarantine is the safest option, school districts can chose to allow students to come back earlier, Health Officer Dr. Amy Person with the Benton Franklin Health District said in a letter Monday to school districts.

After Tri-Cities health officials talked about the concerns with the state Department of Health, the state agreed to let local school districts make the choice on the length of quarantines depending on certain criteria, according to the health district.

If a student doesn’t develop symptoms school districts can allow them to return after 10 days without testing or after seven days with a negative test on the fifth day or later.

“Evidence continues to support that schools are not the primary source of COVID-19 transmission in the community and that there is not sustained transmission in schools,” Dr. Person said in the letter.

Kennewick, Richland and Pasco schools were quick to announce they would allow students to return early from quarantines if they fit the criteria.

The issue came to a head in recent weeks after hundreds of Tri-City students were sent home to quarantine after coming into close contact with a person who tested positive.

The issue grew as school districts narrowed the distance between students from 6 feet to 3 feet in order to get more students in classrooms and allow them back into schools full-time.

The change is happening despite continuing rising COVID-19 cases in Benton and Franklin counties in recent weeks.

Kennewick posted Monday nine new COVID cases in students, with 49 cases during the prior two weeks.

Pasco posted Monday reports of four more students testing positive, with 69 cases the two weeks prior.

Richland hadn’t reported any new cases since last week, though they did have an additional case at Hanford High last week, bringing the total to nine since April 16.

Hundreds of students

After more than 170 Hanford High students were sent home recently to learn online, some Richland parents, students and at least one board member questioned why students needed to stay out of class for 14 days.

After the complaints were raised at last Tuesday’s Richland School Board meeting, Dr. Person told the Herald the length of the quarantines were based on state rules.

The problem was that students could still be potentially contagious up to 14 days after exposure.

And they could be contagious for days before they start showing symptoms.

“When shortened quarantine options were first introduced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in December 2020, people opting for the shortened quarantine were instructed to follow certain conditions for the remainder of their 14-day quarantine period, including staying 6-feet away from others,” Dr. Person wrote in her recommendation.

With students coming back to be 3 feet apart, they couldn’t maintain that separation, she said.

The health district continues to recommend vaccinations for the students who can get them. Vaccinated students don’t need to go into quarantine, even if they come into contact with someone with COVID.

This story was originally published May 3, 2021 at 5:18 PM.