Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is because DCPS intentionally changed the CDC definition of a close contact in order to avoid having to quarantine kids.

And it’s one of the big reasons this year is going to be a Covid shitshow.

No, dude. DCPS is using a STRICTER policy for close contacts than cDC is. Geez. Do people intentionally make this crap up?

Nice try. DC added a carve out for “other mitigation measures” to CDC’s close contact definition, which already applied a less stringent close contact definition to school children than the general public. Almost no one is required to quarantine under DC’s definition of a close contact.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is because DCPS intentionally changed the CDC definition of a close contact in order to avoid having to quarantine kids.

And it’s one of the big reasons this year is going to be a Covid shitshow.

No, dude. DCPS is using a STRICTER policy for close contacts than cDC is. Geez. Do people intentionally make this crap up?

There are currently threads on this site right now saying diametrically opposed things about this issue -- some saying DC is testing too much and that the quarantines are too strict and will unnecessarily keep too many kids home, and some saying they are too loose and will lead to Covid spreading unchecked.

I honestly don't know what to believe anymore. I'm so stressed about all this but also don't want to overreact. I hate how little guidance we are getting.

Anonymous wrote:This is because DCPS intentionally changed the CDC definition of a close contact in order to avoid having to quarantine kids.

And it’s one of the big reasons this year is going to be a Covid shitshow.

No, dude. DCPS is using a STRICTER policy for close contacts than cDC is. Geez. Do people intentionally make this crap up?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me ask you this, if you find out a kid in the class is positive but not a close contact, what would you do about it? Do you immediately test? If if comes back negative, do you send them back the next day?

I would test. And I would also keep my child home for the rest of that week just in case there are other asymptomatic (or symptomatic) infected kids in the same class.

+1

Also depending on the grade of your child I think close contact is subjective. In most lower elementary grades I assume all kids have been in close contact with each other even if the seating chart at lunch doesn’t indicate it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me ask you this, if you find out a kid in the class is positive but not a close contact, what would you do about it? Do you immediately test? If if comes back negative, do you send them back the next day?

I would test. And I would also keep my child home for the rest of that week just in case there are other asymptomatic (or symptomatic) infected kids in the same class.

And how should the school support your kids learning during that time?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go to the DC library - pick up 5 of the home tests and do tests every Friday.

This. Everyone should be doing this.

Really smart suggestion. Thank you!

Can only get one per person at a time and need the prior to be used to get another for the same person. They aren’t just handing them out like skittles

They absolutely are handing them out like skittles. You can take 5 a day and come back as many days as you want. Every person in your house can take 5 a day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go to the DC library - pick up 5 of the home tests and do tests every Friday.

This. Everyone should be doing this.

Really smart suggestion. Thank you!

Can only get one per person at a time and need the prior to be used to get another for the same person. They aren’t just handing them out like skittles

That's absolutely not true. We have probably 10 at home because they keep giving us a handful every time we drop off a test. Have gotten them from various locations in NW. And you have to drop them off the same day you register them. You open the package and enter the serial number on the testing website. You can hold onto the tests indefinitely as long as you don't register the serial number.

Agreed, it's very easy to get the at-home test kits. They offer us to them every time we drop off or pick up books. We've got four at home right now. Just took two -- we were negative.