Baltimore City Schools issues COVID policy update, students urged to test after holiday

BALTIMORE - Baltimore City Schools is urging all students and staff to take a COVID-19 test before returning from Thanksgiving Break.  

City schools also released the following updates to COVID protocol on Tuesday:

Testing in Schools

According to the CDC and health experts, biweekly screenings in kindergarten through 12th grade are no longer recommended. As a result, the district will cease in-school screening beginning January, 3, 2023.  

Those showing COVID symptoms will be required to test in school health offices, and take home tests will be provided to students, staff, and families as needed.   

Positive Cases

City School will no longer be notifying families about individual COVID cases effective Jan. 3, 2023.  

Positive cases will still be documented, and if three or more cases are linked, the respective classroom or school will be alerted of an outbreak. 

Mask Requirements

Masks will remain optional in City Schools buildings and on school grounds with the exception of following circumstances:

• An individual has had known close contact with someone who is positive must wear a facemask for 10 days after exposure.
• Those who are recovering from COVID must wear a mask for 10 days from the start of isolation.
• Someone who develops COVID-like symptoms while at school must wear a mask.

Isolation

People who test positive for COVID should isolate for at least 5 days, with day 0 being the day of the positive test.

All updates to health and COVID protocols, can be found on the district website at www.baltimorecityschools.org