Dear CPS Families,
Since the start of the pandemic, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has followed the science when making decisions about how to create a safe learning environment for students and staff. As we learn more about COVID-19 from trusted public health partners like the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), we use this information to adjust our safety protocols and guide our response.
Recently, CDC, IDPH, and CDPH have all recommended shortening the isolation/quarantine time from 10 days to 5 days for those who test positive for COVID-19 and unvaccinated close contacts.
CPS will be adopting this change, and it will go into effect for all CPS students and staff on Tuesday, February 1.
According to the CDC, this change is being recommended because the majority of COVID-19 transmission “occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after.” Furthermore, shortening the isolation/quarantine period will provide more certainty to parents, students, and staff, and will allow impacted students to return to their classrooms more quickly for the in-person learning that gives them their best opportunity for success.
Here’s what the change to a 5-day quarantine/isolation period will mean for your family:
Children who test positive for COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status, will need to isolate and learn at home for five days rather than 10. If the child still has symptoms after Day 5, they should continue to isolate at home for the full 10 day period. If the child no longer has symptoms after Day 5, the child will be free to return to school on Day 6 with the following precautions in place:
From Days 6 – 10, students will keep their masks on at all times, including while outdoors, except when eating or drinking.
When masks must be removed for eating and drinking, these students will maintain six feet of social distance from others wherever possible.
Children who are not yet vaccinated or are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines, and who have been identified as close contacts of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, will need to quarantine and learn at home for 5 days rather than 10.
Children who are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines, and who have been identified as close contacts of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 will not have to quarantine at all.
Getting your children vaccinated is not only the best way to keep them in school — it’s the best way to protect them from being infected with COVID-19, and the best way to prevent severe symptoms if they do become infected. Visit cps.edu/vaccinations for a complete list of vaccine opportunities that are available weekly for your family.
Students who are directed to isolate or quarantine by the Office of Student Health and Wellness (OSHW) will continue to receive direct instruction from their teachers while they are learning at home.
I thank you for your continued support and urge you to direct any questions regarding the shift to a 5-day quarantine period to your school principal.
Sincerely,
Pedro Martinez
Chief Executive Officer
Chicago Public Schools
Frequently Asked Questions
Why the move from a 10-day to a 5-day quarantine?
Our partners at the CDC, IDPH, and CDPH have made it clear that shifting to a 5-day quarantine period for staff and students is the most appropriate approach at this stage in the pandemic. This change is based on what we have now learned about the current dominant variant that causes COVID-19, which is that those who test positive are most likely to transmit the virus in the 1-2 days before symptoms appear and for 2-3 days after. Furthermore, shortening the quarantine/isolation period will provide more certainty to parents, students, and staff, and will allow impacted students to return to their classrooms more quickly for the in-person learning that gives them their best opportunity for success.
When will this change go into effect?
The shift from a 10-day to a 5-day quarantine will take effect on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. Students who were already isolating or quarantining as of this date will complete their original 10-day isolation or quarantine period. Students and staff who are directed to isolate or quarantine on or after Tuesday, February 1, 2022 will only need to do so for five days.
If my child tests positive for COVID-19, when can they return to school?
As long as all symptoms have resolved, students may return to school after 5 days of learning at home. As a reminder, Day 1 of a student’s 5-day isolation begins on the day that symptoms started or the day AFTER they test positive for the virus. If symptoms persist after Day 5, students should continue to isolate at home for the full 10 day period. You will receive information from your child’s school that includes the date on which they may return to in-person learning. Children who have already tested positive for COVID-19 SHOULD NOT test again for 90 days, because they may continue testing positive long after they are no longer contagious.
If my child is identified as a close contact, do they need to quarantine?
This depends on if your child has been vaccinated against COVID-19.
If they do not have symptoms, vaccinated students DO NOT need to quarantine if they have been identified as a close contact.
Unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated students WILL need to quarantine for 5 days if they are identified as a close contact, regardless of if they are showing symptoms.
What if my child still has COVID-19 symptoms after 5 days?
Students who are still showing COVID-19 symptoms after 5 days of isolation should continue to isolate at home for the full 10 day period.
Will my child still receive direct instruction from their teachers when they are quarantined?
Yes. Students who are directed to quarantine by the CPS Office of Student Health and Wellness (OSHW) will receive direct instruction from their teachers during their 5-day quarantine period. This instruction will continue if the student still has symptoms of COVID-19 after five days.
Does my child need a negative COVID-19 test to return to school after 5 days of isolation?
No. Students do not need to test negative for COVID-19 to return to school after their 5-day isolation period. In fact, children who have already tested positive for COVID-19 SHOULD NOT test again for 90 days, because they may continue testing positive long after they are no longer contagious.
Are there new safety protocols in place for students who return to school after the 5-day isolation period?
Yes. Students who return to school after the 5-day isolation period must wear a mask at all times on Days 6 through 10, including when outdoors, except when they are eating or drinking. When masks must be removed for eating and drinking, students will remain 6 feet apart from others whenever possible on days 6 through 10.
What are the rules if my child has a mask exemption?
Because of the need to enforce strict masking on Days 6 through 10, students who are isolated due to COVID-19 and who have a mask exemption will need to remain at home for the full 10-day isolation period.
How will this change impact how my student eats breakfast and lunch when they return to school?
Whenever possible, students who return to school after a 5-day isolation will be seated 6 feet apart from others when they take their masks off to eat and drink. This protocol will only be in place for Days 6 through 10 after students return to school.
Will this new policy create any changes at recess?
Students who return to school after a 5-day isolation will need to keep their masks on at all times except when eating or drinking, for Days 6 through 10. This will include those times when students go outside for recess.
How will this change impact my child’s ability to play sports or participate in other extracurricular activities?
Students who return to school after a 5-day isolation are free to resume all of their activities as long as masks remain on at all times on Days 6 through 10.