DHEC Social Distancing
DHEC is expanding the amount of social distance that students must maintain to avoid being labeled as a “close contact” to a COVID positive individual. Close contacts are required to quarantine unless they are vaccinated or have documentation of a positive COVID diagnosis within the last 90 days. At the start of the school year students were only required to maintain three feet of distance from an infectious individual. Effective Monday, the rules become more complicated. For example, students who are within 3 to 6 feet of an infectious student for 15 minutes or more will be identified as a “close contact” unless both were wearing a mask. However, if the infectious person is an adult, everyone within 6 feet is a close contact regardless of masking. Also, if the distance is less than 3 feet, close contact exists with or without masks. We have posted graphics below to help explain the new DHEC rules and how they apply to various scenarios.
