Ky. now says schools requiring masks don’t have to have quarantines. What will Fayette do?

Under new state health guidelines, Kentucky school districts such as Fayette County that require universal masking can stop contact tracing and quarantines for individuals exposed to COVID-19 at school.

“That will reduce the amount of school students and staff miss because of COVID,” Fayette County Superintendent Demetrus Liggins told families in a video message Tuesday night. Liggins said the district will adjust practices to reflect those recommendations.

Liggins said that on Friday he will release details on the practices that will change in the district as of Tuesday, Jan. 18. In the meantime, the district will continue with its existing protocols.

“Despite the rumors, there are no plans to switch to remote learning at this time,” Liggins said. Jefferson County, the state’s largest school district, returned to virtual learning this week, amid a surge in the Omicron variant.

If circumstances warrant, Fayette County is prepared to shift a school or class to remote learning because of COVID, he said.

The state policy changes affecting quarantines came this week when the Kentucky Department of Public Health revised its COVID-19 prevention guidance for K-12 schools and childcare settings.

As of Jan. 11, 1,131 Fayette County students and six employees are currently in quarantine.

Liggins has said that district staff are monitoring COVID numbers.

The case and quarantine totals for Jan. 4-10 in the Fayette County Public Schools district, which has roughly 42,000 students and 8,000 employees, include: 601 new student cases, 159 new staff cases, 893 new student quarantines and 7 new staff quarantines.

“We are monitoring cases and quarantines carefully, and we are closely watching student and staff absences. Although we are seeing higher than usual absence numbers, only a fraction of them are COVID related,” Liggins said.

District spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall told the Herald-Leader that on a typical day, 350 teachers would be absent. On Monday, 451 teachers were absent. On Tuesday, 415 teachers were absent.

Liggins said guidance from medical experts continues to be that schools can safely provide in-person learning with layered precautionary measures including universal masking.

“We also know that keeping our students in school with caring educators and wrap-around supports is the best way to nurture their academic success and social-emotional well-being,” Liggins said.

In Liggins’ message to parents, he provided an update from the Lexington-Fayette Health Department on vaccination status among school aged children:

▪ Aged 5 to 11: 35% at least one dose, 25% two doses

▪ Aged 12-15: 69% at least one dose, 57% two doses, 2% boosted

▪ Aged 16-17: 75% at least one dose, 63% two doses; 12% boosted

This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 10:03 PM.