(BIVN) – The Hawaiʻi Department of Education on Monday released an updated COVID-19 guidance, incorporating the latest recommendations from the Hawaiʻi Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for K-12 schools.

The COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidance for School Year 2022-23 offers this summary of significant changes as of August 15, 2022:

• No longer requiring quarantine following non-school exposures.
• Prioritizing screening testing for high risk activities, before/after events, and
  following breaks.
• Removing the recommendations for ‘ohana bubbles or cohorting, physical
  distancing, and sleeping spaces.
• Adding the recommendation that masks be worn at all times in the school health room.
• Adding a section for residential dorms.
• Providing a new form with return to school/work criteria for someone who has
  COVID-19 symptoms or tests positive at school.
• For the latest DOH documents see Guidance for K-12 Schools. The DOH documents are currently being updated to align with the CDC guidance released on August 11, 2022.

“The widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines, high levels of infection-induced and vaccine-induced immunity, increased access to testing, and effective treatments have allowed an adapted approach to COVID-19 prevention and mitigation,” the DOE document reasons. “Although this guidance is specific to COVID-19 prevention, many of the strategies help prevent the spread of other common infectious diseases.”

In its Wednesday update, the health department reported another week of dropping case counts across the State of Hawaiʻi.