Frustrated city parents want to lower the quarantine time for COVID-19 infected students from 10 to five days in light of evolving guidance from the Centers for Disease and Prevention.
The CDC shortened its recommended isolation period for those with resolving or asymptomatic COVID-19 infections to five days just after Christmas.
Gov. Kathy Hochul applied that change, but only to essential workers across the state.
While teachers are eligible for the earlier returns as part of the essential workforce, city public school kids who test positive for the coronavirus are still barred from their buildings for 10 days.
“Time after time we hold kids to the harshest restrictions possible even while they are the least-impacted segment of the population,” said parent Natalya Murakhver. “Their ability to recover supersedes adults. Yet we are still restricting them and keeping them out of school.”
Quarantine times are becoming especially relevant given rapidly expanded student testing and consequent spikes in COVID-19 cases seen by the Department of Education.
On Monday, the DOE tallied more than 8,000 new student coronavirus infections that will send those kids home for the mandated 10 days.
With the Omicron variant engulfing the city, positive student cases are likely to soar in the coming days and weeks.
“Enough with the fear mongering,” said parent Lisa Marks. “All of the data shows that kids are the lowest-risk group, yet they are given the most restrictions time and time again.”
Queens City Councilman Robert Holden backed up the parents on shortening student isolation stretches.
“The quarantine period for students should be lowered,” he said. “There are too many inconsistencies in battling the pandemic, which only undermines the public trust in our government. It can be very difficult for working parents to find child care.”
Murakhver said the CDC’s guidance should prod the state to adjust isolation requirements for city kids, arguing that the educational interruptions are damaging student learning.
“A 10-day absence is practically two weeks,” she said. “It’s incredibly disruptive for kids and teachers. And it’s emotionally stunting kids as well. It’s impossible for children to progress like this.”
Student absenteeism has spiked in recent days, with attendance rates of just 67 percent Monday and 72 percent Tuesday.
Kids exposed to a positive case in their classrooms are allowed to remain in school if they initially test negative and do so again five days later.
