Health department changes COVID-19 guidance for Indiana schools amid drop in cases

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) is changing its COVID-19 guidance for schools as cases decline across the state.

Starting next Wednesday, Feb. 23, K-12 schools and child care programs will no longer have to conduct contact tracing or report positive cases of COVID-19 to the health department, IDOH said in a news release n Thursday.

Students will not need to quarantine if they're exposed to someone with COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status or whether or not the school requires masks.

Schools will still need to work with local health departments if there is an outbreak or cluster of cases.

Officials said those who test positive for the virus should isolate for five days and have the ability to return to school on the sixth day if "they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication so long as symptoms are improving," which falls in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those testing positive should also continue wearing a mask through the 10th day any time they in public or around others.

"These changes reflect the rapid decline in COVID-19 cases as we emerge from the omicron surge and the fact that all school-age children have been eligible to be vaccinated since November," Indiana State Health Commissioner Kris Box said in a news release. "While they do not remove the need for continued vigilance, they will ease the reporting burden on schools and help ensure that children can stay in school."

Health department officials also encouraged schools to keep letting families know when someone at a school tests positive for the virus so parents can monitor their kids for symptoms.

In addition to the updated guidance for schools, the IDOH said it will "begin to reduce its COVID-19 response operations" amid a decrease in demand for testing and "substantial availability of COVID-19 vaccines and treatment."

This comes as the state's positivity rate fell from 33.6% on Jan. 19 to 13.1% on Wednesday. To find COVID-19 testing in Indiana, click here. To find a vaccine location, click here. For a breakdown of cases in Indiana, click here for the state's COVID-19 dashboard.