School District of Manatee County sets new quarantine protocols

School District of Manatee County families will have new COVID-19 quarantine protocols to follow. 

After receiving guidelines from the Florida Department of Health-Manatee and the Florida Department of Education Aug. 6, the School Board of Manatee County discussed the new protocols during a special meeting Aug. 9.

Students who are symptomatic or test positive for COVID-19 should not attend school until:

• The student receives a negative diagnostic COVID-19 test or is asymptomatic.
• Ten days have passed since the onset of symptoms or positive test result, the student has had no fever for 24 hours and the student's other symptoms are improving.
• The student receives written permission to return to school from a licensed medical doctor, a licensed osteopathic physician or a licensed advanced registered nurse practitioner. 

Students who are exposed to COVID-19 should not return to school until:

• The student is asymptomatic and receives a negative COVID-19 test after four days from the date of last exposure.
• The student is asymptomatic and seven days have passed since the date of last exposure.
• If a student becomes symptomatic following exposure, follow the procedures for students who are symptomatic or have tested positive.

Students who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the previous 90 days of coming in direct contact with a COVID-19 positive individual and become symptomatic should follow the same procedures as students who are symptomatic or test positive for COVID-19.

The board also decided to continue with its current mask policy, which states masks are not mandatory.