INDIANAPOLIS — Hoosier schools and childcare centers have a new incentive to require face masks.
According to a new, statewide executive order from Gov. Holcomb, schools and daycare facilities with mask requirements that are consistently followed do not have to quarantine students, teachers or staff who are close contacts. That's as long as they do not have COVID-19 symptoms.
The revised order comes as many schools return to temporary, virtual learning due to high absences due to quarantining or outbreaks of the virus.
The new executive order is as follows:
To support the ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, IDOH will be issuing a COVID-19 control measure. The measure will allow for schools and day cares to modify quarantine provisions if the facilities adhere to the following orders and guidance set by IDOH:
- Schools and day cares that have mask requirements that are consistently followed throughout the day do not have to quarantine students, teachers and staff who are close contacts and aren’t showing symptoms of COVID-19;
- Schools and day cares must continue to contact trace by notifying their local health department as well as parents, teachers and staff who were in close contact.
The executive order will expire Sept. 30, 2021.
