New York ending COVID-19 rules in schools

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday that masks and quarantine rules will no longer be required of students.

by Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech | Aug. 22, 2022

New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks to reporters at a press conference.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks to reporters about legislation passed during a special legislative session in the Red Room at the state Capitol, July 1, 2022, in Albany, N.Y. Hans Pennink, Associated Press file

Story at a glance

New York state is loosening its COVID-19 policies for schools.

In a press conference Monday, Gov. Hochul (D) said the state will no longer require school children to quarantine or isolate after being exposed to the virus.

Those that test positive will still be required to isolate themselves and wear masks.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced Monday that students and teachers will no longer be required to isolate or quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19.

“The days of sending an entire classroom home because one person was symptomatic or tests positive, those days are over,” said Hochul.

The move puts New York schools in line with recently changed coronavirus guidelines issued from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Earlier this month, the CDC dropped quarantine and social-distancing recommendations for those who come in close contact with a COVID-positive person.

Hochul added that the state will also scrap “test to stay” programs that allowed students who came in contact with the virus to stay in the classroom as long as they tested negative.

Schools-based plans that randomly test asymptomatic students, faculty and staff will also be eliminated, Hochul said.

Individual schools can still test students who are taking part in “high risk” activities such as sports and chorus if they wish.

Anyone in a school who tests positive for the virus will still be required to quarantine for five days and wear a mask upon their return to schools for at least five days.

“No longer are we going to be sending kids home, keeping them away from that essential experience of being together in the classroom because we are now still dealing with the fallout of those decisions made when we had less information,” Hochul said.

New York state will provide one test kit per student for the 2022-23 academic year and plans to send a letter to schools on Monday with further details on the updated COVID rules.

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