Department of Health sends COVID guidance to schools, here’s what it says

The Suffolk County Department of Health on Monday released COVID-19 guidance to school districts that includes a recommendation of requiring masks be worn indoors and on buses, maintaining three feet of social distancing between students and a request for estimates on the percentage of each school’s students and staff who are vaccinated.

As anticipated, the DOH is following the guidelines issued at the federal level by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The State of New York is allowing school districts and local governments to set their own policies.

In Monday’s memo the county notes that the guidance is advisory and not mandated, allowing schools to set their own official policies before school begins next month. When it comes to positive cases of COVID-19, however, the county is requiring reporting for contact tracing and quarantine purposes.

On the issue of requiring staff to be vaccinated, the county makes clear that “may be decided by the individual school districts.”

See the complete memo below:

SCDHS School Reopening Guidance August 9 2021 Final by Grant Parpan on Scribd