District implements new coronavirus policies following spike in state-wide cases

Story by Charlotte Dekle
Associate Feature Editor

Photo by Samantha Shiroishi
Staff Photographer

SPUSD issued new coronavirus policies following a spike in positive cases throughout the state on Tuesday, Jan. 4.

An email sent by the district outlines the seven new categories of guidelines: masks, testing requirements for close contacts, changes to isolation procedure, youth sports, in-school volunteers, and reporting a positive coronavirus test.

Students and staff are required to wear masks at all times, including outdoors except when actively eating or drinking. Additionally, well-fitting, non-cloth masks are strongly recommended. Asymptomatic individuals are now required to test on the fifth day after exposure, regardless of vaccination status. 

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) revised its public health order to a five-day isolation period for a positive case. An individual who tests positive may end self-isolation if they are fever-free without medication for 24 hours along with a negative antigen test. Before resuming sports activities, a seven-day suspension will be required if there has been an outbreak of four or more cases within a certain sports team over a 14-day period. As of now, all official SPHS sports games are canceled, although conditioning and practices may continue if guidelines are met. No volunteers will be permitted on campus until February 4, 2022. Additionally, the school board has issued an online system to report a positive coronavirus test, exposure, or symptoms. 

“While LACDPH provides school districts two weeks from the reopening date after Winter Break to implement any new requirements, SPUSD is prepared to implement the new directives immediately, ”Superintendent Geoff Yantz said in an email.

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