Greenwich Schools announced that in light of the announcement Friday from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention that, effective immediately, it would no longer require face masks on school buses or vans operated by public or private school systems, (including early care and education/child care programs), Greenwich will also make masks optional on school buses.
Dr. Toni Jones and Head of Nursing for the district Mary Keller wrote to families to say that in addition to masks being optional for students and staff in school buildings starting Tuesday, March 1, mask wearing will also be optional on the district’s school buses starting on Tuesday.
During February break the Board of Education met to discuss and vote on the district’s mask policy. The vote was unanimous 8-0 to rescind the mandate at the start of the school day on March 1.
Updated CDC masks orders can be found on its website.
The district’s Covid Tracker posted numbers following winter vacation on Tuesday, Feb 22 when there were 24 cases, and again on Friday, Feb 25, where there were just 13 cases (12 students and 1 teachers).
On Friday, First Selectman Fred Camillo announced that for the first time in seven months, none of the patients at Greenwich Hospital was being treated for Covid-19. A week earlier, the hospital had been treating 7 Covid-positive patients.
The last time the hospital didn’t have any Covid patients was July 20, 2021.
Dr. Jones also said quarantine information for unvaccinated individuals who might have been exposed to Covid, had been updated as follows:
- Five-day quarantine/with symptoms: An unvaccinated student or staff member who has had an exposure and has symptoms should test between Day 1-3 after symptoms start and quarantine for five days, returning on Day 6, with resolving symptoms and fever free for 24 hours, and are able to wear a well fitting mask for an additional five days.
- Five-day quarantine/asymptomatic: An unvaccinated student or staff member who has had an exposure and has no symptoms should stay home for five days, test on Day 3 and again 24 hours later, but no more than 48 hours, and if negative results, may return on Day 6. Masking is recommended.
- If symptoms should occur at any point during the five days, the student or staff member should immediately test and restart the quarantine.
- There are no changes for those that are vaccinated – they are not required to quarantine.
“The CDC says that individuals that test positive can return on Day 6 if there is resolution of symptoms, but must wear a mask for an additional five days covering the full contagious period of the virus of 10 days,” Jones and Nurse Keller added.
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