School officials: Loosened COVID guidelines should prevent staff shortage-induced closures

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — The President of the Monroe County Council of School Superintendents is hoping the newly recommended "critical workforce" guidelines released by the state, will help keep schools from having to close due to staffing shortages.

The guidelines dropped the number of days certain workers must wait before returning back to work, so long as they’re no longer showing symptoms of the virus, and continue to wear a mask. News10NBC took a look at what this means for schools.

New York State took the lead last week and shortened its protocols for COVID-19 quarantine time from 10 days to just five days.

Superintendent Bo Wright said before staffers can return they must show proof of a negative test result, and then must continue to wear at least a "KN-95 mask" for five additional days. Some school districts already have a supply of these masks.

Wright said although staffing issues have been a problem for some time now, district leaders are better prepared and have the infrastructure in place to keep students in the classroom.

"I know that families are worried about going back to remote learning, and I think for all of us that’s going to be a last resort," Wright said.

He went on to say that school leaders are waiting to see what the state decides to do in terms of adopting the recommendations.