TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – The Florida Department of Health on Thursday published a proposed change that would reduce the number of days that students with COVID-19 are directed to remain out of school.
The rule change would “update the number of days that a symptomatic or COVID-19 positive student must not attend school, school-sponsored activities or be on school property” from 10 days to five days, according to a notice published in the Florida Administrative Register.
The 10-day threshold was set last year. In December, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shortened the recommended quarantine time for people who test positive for COVID-19.
“Given what we currently know about COVID-19 and the omicron variant, CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation for the public,” the federal agency said Dec. 27. “People with COVID-19 should isolate for five days and if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), follow that by five days of wearing a mask when around others to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter.”
Florida public schools are barred by state law from requiring students to wear masks.