COVID Update
August 2023
DHEC School and Childcare Exclusion List
As of July 18, 2023, DHEC no longer lists specific symptoms of COVID-19 that lead to school/ childcare exclusion. Instead, school exclusion is based on fever (page 7) or Influenza-like illness (page 11).
Students and employees testing positive for COVID-19 will still need to Isolate for 5 days. It is Highly Recommended that when you return to school you wear a mask for days 6-10.
Employees should report Positive COVID-19 tests to your supervisor by sending them a copy of the positive test results from a health care provider or the HOME ATTESTATION Form.
Parents should report Positive COVID-19 tests to the School Nurse and the attendance secretary by sending them a copy of the positive test results from a health care provider or the HOME ATTESTATION Form. Spanish HOME ATTESTATION Form
See the Full School and Childcare Exclusion List by Clicking HERE or the Exclusion Guide for Parents by Clicking HERE
Full School and Childcare Exclusion- Spanish version HERE; Parent Guide in Spanish HERE
Influenza/ Influenza like Illness (ILI)
Exclude individuals until at least 24 hours after fever* has resolved without the use of fever-reducing medicines *See Fever entry page 7
Exclusion for Fever
Outbreaks
Note: During outbreaks or under special circumstances, DHEC may change the length of an exclusion period, and also apply the exclusion criteria to other students, children and staff who are not confirmed by laboratory testing but who display the same symptoms of illness as lab-confirmed cases.
Respiratory illness outbreak: 20% or more of students/staff within a shared setting of more than 5 individuals (i.e., a classroom, sports team, or other epidemiologically linked group) absent or sent home due to a respiratory illness within a 72-hour period.