Student desks at a Salem preschool program (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)
Kids and employees exposed to Covid in a daycare or preschool only need to quarantine for five days if everyone consistently wears masks, Oregon’s Early Learning Division announced Tuesday.
The change, which comes from the division and the Oregon Health Authority, cuts in half the previously required 10-day quarantine period.
“We know the 10-day period has been difficult for families to manage and has affected business operations for providers,” said Oregon Early Learning System Director Alyssa Chatterjee in a statement. “This adjustment should give greater flexibility to help respond to COVID-19 cases in care, while still keeping a focus on safety.”
Oregon requires children age five and older to wear masks while in school or child care, and “strongly recommends” masks for children age two and up. Child care providers can only shorten the quarantine period if everyone in a classroom consistently wears masks, the early learning announcement said.
“Protection through a COVID-19 vaccine is not yet available for the youngest children,” said Oregon Health Authority Health Officer and State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger in a statement. “While masks are recommended for all individuals two years old and up, there are child care sites where children under age five do not wear masks.”
There’s been a growing push by some doctors and parents in recent weeks to rethink requiring masks for young children, who remain less likely to contract Covid or become seriously ill from it.
Oregon’s top health officer said masks remain important for mitigating the spread of Covid.
“The nature of interactions in these settings results in prolonged and often close contact. Masking helps to decrease the risk of spread and allow for a shorter return after illness or exposure into these settings with low rates of vaccination overall, especially with the high amounts of community spread throughout Oregon,” Sidelinger said.
-Rachel Alexander
