On the 30th of December, Columbus County Schools released a new COVID-19 policy

In an effort to maintain a healthy learning environment for students and staff. CCS, in
collaboration with Columbus County Health Department, CCS is modifying the quarantine
protocols to include a 5-day option, approved by the CDC, that can shorten the amount of
time someone is required to be in quarantine. This option will be in effect beginning 1/3/2022.
Additionally, we will be offering diagnostic PCR testing to students and staff as referenced in
the K-12 Strong Schools Toolkit, in partnership with the MAKO testing program. For additional
information and registration, please contact your school nurse or Heather Pigott at
(910)642-5168 ext. 24023 or ghwing@columbus.k12.nc.us *Please note that parental
registration and consent are required for all student testing. NO EXCEPTIONS
The 5-day option:
NCDHHS has updated the StrongSchoolsNC Toolkit isolation and quarantine guidance to
align with updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which
outlines what individuals should do if they contract or are exposed to COVID-19 to help
slow the spread to others.
The updated guidance changes how long and under what conditions staff and
students need to be excluded from school because they have tested positive
for or been exposed to COVID-19 (isolation and quarantine).
● Staff and students who have symptoms, regardless of vaccination
status, should – get tested and isolated from others while waiting for a
result regardless of vaccination status. If testing is not possible, follow
the guidance below as if the person is positive.
● Isolation: Staff and students who test positive, regardless of
vaccination status, and
○ Do not have symptoms – should isolate from others for 5 days,
then wear a mask for 5 additional days.
○ Have symptoms – should isolate from others until fever-free
and symptoms are improving. Individuals should isolate for at
least 5 days since symptoms began and then wear a mask for 5
additional days.

● Quarantine: Staff and students who are exposed to someone with
COVID-19, and
○ Not vaccinated – stay away from others for 5 days, get tested
on day 5 after exposure, and if they test negative, return to
school while wearing a mask for 5 additional days.
○ Vaccinated and eligible for a booster, but not yet been boosted
– stay away from others for 5 days, get tested on day 5 after
exposure, and if they test negative, return to school while
wearing a mask for 5 additional days.
○ Vaccinated, and have either received a booster or are not yet
eligible for a booster – individuals do not need to stay away
from others but should wear a mask for 10 days.
● StrongSchoolsNC Toolkit guidance that remains unchanged includes
○ Individuals who are not fully vaccinated after close contact in a
classroom or other school setting if masks were being worn
appropriately and consistently by both the person with
COVID-19 and the potentially exposed person do NOT need to
quarantine.
View the updated Toolkit here.
TERMS:
Case: A person with COVID-19 infection confirmed through testing, provider diagnosis, or a
clinically compatible illness in the absence of testing. Includes individuals with a positive PCR,
antigen, or home test.
Isolation: Used to separate people infected with COVID-19 from those who are not infected.
People who are in isolation should stay home until it’s safe for them to be around others. At
home, anyone sick or infected should separate from others, stay in a specific “sick room” or
area, and use a separate bathroom (if available).
Close Contact: Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of
15 minutes or more over 24 hours starting from 2 days before symptoms began (or, for
asymptomatic individuals, 2 days before testing specimen collection date) until the time the
individual is isolated.

Cluster: Five or more positive COVID-19 cases in a setting within 14 days of one another, that
have an epidemiological linkage between them (e.g., presumed COVID-19 transmission within a
school classroom, extracurricular activity, or bus).
Case Investigation: The process of contacting the COVID-19 confirmed case to document
symptoms and underlying health conditions, confirm notification of the positive test result,
provide isolation guidance, and identify all close contacts. Case investigations are conducted by
the local health department and/or their designee.
Case Interview: A conversation with a case, or their parent/guardian, to confirm the positive
test result, confirm isolation instructions and answer questions, and inquire in detail about
school close contacts. Case interviews can be conducted by the school nurse or principal.
Contact Tracing: Reaching out to people with possible exposure to COVID-19 to inform them
of their exposure and provide information on how to quarantine, when to get tested, and how to
access available support services. Can be supported or facilitated by the K-12 school in
collaboration with the local health department.
Secondary Data: Information routinely maintained in schools related to student schedules,
class rosters, seating charts, extracurricular activities (e.g., sports), recess, lunchroom,
transportation (bus and carpool), and itinerant staff
Home Test: Self-tests that are performed by a person at home. These are routinely obtained
from a retail site such as Walmart, CVS, or Walgreens, have no official documentation and are
not reported to the local health departments. If the asymptomatic individual uses this test and
obtains a positive result, that individual should be isolated according to the isolation period
above. Contact tracing should also be done on any individuals that meet the close contact
criteria above.
These individuals can also be included in cluster data counts.
All symptomatic individuals should be tested using a 1) PCR/molecular test or 2) antigen test (if
the person has a low likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection e.g., the person has no known or
suspected exposure to a person with COVID-19 within the last 14 days or is fully vaccinated or
has had a SARS-CoV-2 infection in the last 3 months) from a provider or laboratory.