Reopening RI Schools: What A Positive Coronavirus Test Means

PROVIDENCE, RI — As Rhode Island teachers and students prepare to return to classrooms Sept. 14, the state's Department of Health developed a plan for school districts to respond when someone contracts the coronavirus.

"We know we're going to see positive cases," said Gov. Gina Raimondo.

As is the case with testing, a separate contact tracing system has been created for public and private schools, with 50 contact tracers from the health department. In addition, each school, as part of their reopening plan, was ordered to designate at least one staff member to work with the department for case investigations.

When a student or faculty member tests positive for the coronavirus, he or she will immediately be ordered to self-quarantine. The contact tracer will determine the person's close contacts, who will be ordered to self-quarantine for 14 days. During this time, students designated as close contacts will be required to do distance learning. Close contacts will get tested during their quarantine, but they must remain in isolation for the entire time, regardless of their test outcome.

A close contact is someone who has been within 6 feet of the infected person for 15 minutes or longer.

This means that not everyone in a classroom or bus will be required to self-quarantine if someone tests positive. Instead, only those in close proximity will meet the requirement.

To help determine who is a close contact, Raimondo said it's important for schools to be structured, with seating charts in classrooms, buses, cafeterias and more. In addition, students and staff are encouraged to keep up their contact tracing journals, noting each day who they came in contact with. If a contact tracer calls, the log will help facilitate the case investigation.

Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, director of the Department of Health, said the focus is preventing the spread of COVID-19, similar to the flu and other seasonal respiratory illnesses. Earlier this week, Alexander-Scott encouraged parents to get their child vaccinated for the flu as soon as possible, to help reduce the spread of overall illness and reduce confusion about whether respiratory symptoms are COVID-19.

Read more

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