Chatham Superintendent Clarifies Isolation, Quarantine Procedures

CHATHAM, NJ—School Superintendent Michael Lasusa clarified the process for students and their siblings who test positive for conronavirus at this week's board of education meeting.

Lasusa said N.J. Department of Health guidelines updated Friday said that a student who tests positive "must isolate for 10 days from either the date of the positive test or the onset of symptoms." He added that if the student has no symptoms after 10 days, that student will no longer have to isolate.

The superintendent added that siblings who live in the same home with a positive student must quarantine during the 10-day isolation phase and then an additional 14 days from the last incident of close contact (not 14 days from the test date) with their positive sibling.

"The reason for that is that it's possible that on the ninth or 10th day [the positive student] could be infectious," Lasusa said. "and if [the sibling] is living in the same house and is exposed, they'll need 14 days beyond that to ensure they don't infect anyone else."

Lasusa said the health department has advised that people who come in contact with someone who has come in contact with a positive person, a so-called "contact of a contact" do not have to quarantine. Lasusa added that five of the district's schools are open and operating, and that no staff members have been ill this fall.

"We've had some challenges at the high school," Lasusa said, "that have obviously been upsetting and distressing, but five of six buildings are open and they serve about two thirds of our students."

Chatham High School pivoted to remote-only learning on September 10, after multiple students tested positive after attending a non-school party on Labor Day weekend. The high school is scheduled to resume in-person instruction on September 29.

Lisa DeRosa, President of the Chatham Borough Board of Health, added another key statistic regarding student interaction in the schools this fall.

"Even with the cases at the high school," DeRosa said, "there has been no school-related transmission."

Superintendent Lasusa reiterated that the plan put in place last summer is working, and credited the district's students for the successful start to the year.

"Our students have been phenomenal," said Lasusa. "I cannot tell you the number of accolades and praise from our staff members, everyone has been knocked down by the level of cooperation and respectfulness. Our students have been amazing."