Mahomet-Seymour will begin to follow new CDC guidelines, which add options for reduced quarantine times, according to an email from Superintendent Lindsay Hall Friday morning.
Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others in an effort to stop the spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms.
While the CDC continues to endorse the 14-day quarantine period as one option, they also recommend two additional options for how long quarantine should last.
Based on local availability of viral testing, for people without symptoms quarantine can end:
- On day 10 without testing
- On day 7 after receiving a negative test result
After stopping quarantine, people should
- Watch for symptoms until 14 days after exposure.
- If they have symptoms, immediately self-isolate and contact their local public health authority or healthcare provider.
- Wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet from others, wash their hands, avoid crowds, and take other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The CDC website says, “Reducing the length of quarantine may make it easier for people to quarantine by reducing economic hardship if they cannot work during this time. In addition, a shorter quarantine period can lessen stress on the public health system, especially when new infections are rapidly rising.
“Local public health authorities make the final decisions about how long quarantine should last in the communities they serve, based on local conditions and needs.”
The new measures go into effect for the Mahomet-Seymour School District on Dec. 4.
Hall wrote that those who families with children in the district should contact District Nurse Nita Bachman at nbachman@ms.k12.il.us or 217-493-
0699 if a family member or a student tests positive for COVID-19.
Those who live in the same household as someone with COVID-19 will be required to quarantine for an additional 10 days from the last day of the positive person’s isolation period.
Re-entry to school property will be only granted once the district receives a release letter from
C-UPHD.
Other close exposures, which are outlined by the CDC as being persons who:
- were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more
- provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19
- had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them)
- shared eating or drinking utensils
- Or someone who was sneezed or coughed
will be placed on 10-day quarantine by CUPHD.
“Quarantine can end after Day 10 without testing and if a person does not have symptoms,” Hall wrote. “For persons that choose this option, CUPHD recommends testing on day 10 and self-monitoring of symptoms through day 14. If symptoms develop at any time, individuals should go for testing immediately.
“People can also be released from quarantine with a negative test collected on day 7 or after of your quarantine. In order to be released from quarantine and receive a release letter from Public Health, the individual must send an email to coronarvirus@c-uphd.org with the following information:
SUBJECT: Release from Quarantine
Full name
Phone Number
Proof of negative test result (must have test collection date)
*Please note that requests with incomplete information will not be processed. CUPHD will not look up proof of negative tests for people, you must provide the proof of negative test to us or complete the full 10 day quarantine.”
People in quarantine should stay home, separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from their state or local health department.
At the end of November, Mahomet-Seymour saw a total of 50 positive COVID-19 cases: 45 students and 5 staff. In October the total number was 6 and in September the total number of positive cases was 7.
In the first three days of December there were a total of 6 positive cases.
Within the last week the 68153 area code has seen a slight dip of COVID-19 active cases, but is beginning to climb back towards higher numbers of mid-November.
| Nov. 26:87 |
| Nov. 27: 85 |
| Nov. 28: 88 |
| Nov. 30: 77 |
| Dec. 1: 78 |
| Dec. 2: 78 |
| Dec. 3: 81 |
| Dec. 4: 83 |
