DHEC COVID-19 Updates

Below are two updates from DHEC related to COVID-19:

Students on quarantine who have NO symptoms* of illness are no longer required to provide a negative test in order to return on Day 6.

DHEC now allows students who have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, and who are not fully or maximally vaccinated, to return early from quarantine on Day 6 without providing a negative COVID-19 test result if they have no symptoms*. Previously, students who were not vaccinated were required by DHEC to provide a negative test result taken no earlier than Day 4 of quarantine in order to be eligible to return early. This change may only be temporary. DHEC cited the need for this change due to a lack of available tests across the state, and they cautioned that reinstating a test requirement is possible dependent on the current situation with cases overall, cases associated with schools, and test availability and access. As a reminder, DHEC still requires that students returning from quarantine must wear a mask for through day 10 after the last exposure (through day 20 for household contacts).

*A parent note is required to confirm that the student had no symptoms to return from quarantine.

At-home rapid-test results can now be used by students who have had Covid-19 within the last 90 days as verification to avoid quarantine.

DHEC Attestation Forms for an at-home rapid-test result can now be accepted as proof of a positive test within 90 days of exposure in order to avoid quarantine from January 9, 2022 and moving forward. In order to use a positive test result obtained prior to January 9, 2022 to verify that the student had Covid-19 in the last 90 days of an exposure in order to avoid quarantine, documentation must be provided from a professional laboratory, not a DHEC Attestation Form for an at-home test.