Cobb Schools Relaxes COVID-19 Quarantine Rules For Close Contacts

COBB COUNTY, GA — Cobb County School District employees, faculty, staff and students will see relaxed COVID-19 quarantine restrictions for asymptomatic people effective Feb. 1, district officials said Thursday.

Based on guidance from Dr. Janet Memark's team at Cobb & Douglas Public Health — Memark is the district health director for CDPH — the district updated its quarantine restrictions for those exposed to the coronavirus but not displaying any symptoms, according to a Thursday press release.

Previously, CCSD — and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDPH and other public health agencies — recommended a 14-day quarantine period for those exposed to the virus; however, the press release said CDPH is relaxing that time frame to 10 days in certain circumstances. Effective Feb. 1, those with zero symptoms can return to work or school after 10 days, rather than 14 days. A 14-day quarantine period is still recommended by the CDC.

Asymptomatic people who have a known exposure to a person with COVID-19 can return to work or school after 10 full days have passed — with the day of exposure being day zero — since their most recent exposure if they are not tested for COVID-19 and do not experience any COVID-19 symptoms during the quarantine period, according to Cobb Schools' updated quarantine rules. Both of those criteria must be met to return after 10 days.

The district also recommends for those in this category to closely monitor themselves for coronavirus symptoms for 14 days from their most recent date of exposure, and strictly adhere to mitigation measures including wearing masks, staying at least six feet from others, washing their hands, avoiding crowds and taking other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This announcement from the district comes a week after two Cobb County teachers died from COVID-19, which led to a protest over schools reopening for in-person learning, and two days after 11 metro Atlanta superintendents — including CCSD Superintendent Chris Ragsdale — sent a letter to Gov. Brian Kemp asking him to move teachers into the highest-priority category for COVID-19 vaccinations.