PRIORITY NOTICE: Updates to the Health and Safety Guidance and SOP for Schools

Updates to the Health and Safety Guidance and SOP for Schools

Dear Champions of Education,

Today we have published updated health and safety school guidance and an updated Standard Operating Procedure(SOP) from Maine CDC.

Please note the following

Recent changes to the mask mandates (both federal and state) do not apply to the school setting
Pooled Testing is a mitigation strategy that can offset the need for 3' distancing
Those who are vaccinated and asymptomatic do not need to quarantine if deemed close contacts and those participating in pooled testing and are asymptomatic do not need to quarantine for any school-related events if they are deemed close contacts (this applies to school sports, extracurricular activities, and school functions). The quarantine exemption does not apply to community based activities including, for example, club sports, and Girls Scouts
Adult distancing requirements have been removed
Eating and drinking still requires 6' distancing for all
Distancing related to music went from 14' to 6'

Pooled Testing has been effectively used in other states and there are resources available to ease the workload on schools while increasing flexibilities and safety for operations. Please watch the latest webinar hosted by Maine CDC, Maine DOE and Ginkgo Bioworks. The accompanying slidedeck can be viewed, here. A number of additional resources, including a FAQ document for pooled testing, can be found on the DOE COVID-19 Toolkit.

To help schools personnel understand implementation, impacts and to ask questions, Ginkgo Bioworks will host another webinar at 3:00 on Tuesday, May 18. The registration link can be found, here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

For families or staff who would like to learn more, an evening webinar with Ginkgo Bioworks will be held on Thursday, May 20, from 6:30-7:30 pm. The registration link can be found, here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.