PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — As Rhode Island continues to implement an endemic COVID-19 management strategy, the state has updated new quarantine recommendations to allow children to remain in care and families to continue working.

The new recommendations follow the new tiered system for measuring community-level risk for COVID-19 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This replaced the prior system that was based solely on transmission levels.

“With these recommendations, we can continue to ensure that it is safe for children to attend care and also reduce the burden of quarantine on families,” Gov. Dan McKee said Friday.

According to the CDC, COVID-19 Community Levels are a new tool to help communities decide which prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low, medium or high, and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area.

All of Rhode Island and most of Massachusetts are considered to be in the “low” category, according to the new data.

“This framework aligns with our strategy to begin managing COVID-19 as an endemic as we are seeing in states across the nation and our federal government,” McKee explained. “Our neighboring states have implemented updated quarantine approaches for child care with great success, and we know Rhode Island families will benefit from this as well.”

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Cases are down 98% and hospitalizations have dropped 79% since the peak in mid-January from the omicron variant, McKee said. Additionally, he said cases over the past 7 days are down nearly 52% from two weeks ago, and the 7-day average for percent positivity is down 41% from two weeks ago.

On Friday, the R.I. Department of Health reported 155 new positive cases and two additional deaths, while hospitalizations declined to 104.

The Health Department’s COVID-19 data page says it’s being updated to show the community-level risk based on the new CDC guidance.

Health officials now recommend that child care programs use a Test to Stay (TTS) approach when the state is at a “high” risk level, and a Monitor to Stay (MTS) when at a “low” or “medium” level.

  • When COVID-19 community level is high, child care programs should implement the Test to Stay protocol for eligible staff and children age 2 and older who were exposed to someone with COVID-19, except household contacts, and don’t have symptoms. They may attend child care if they:
    • Get a negative result on a self-test at home each morning for 5 days after date of exposure; and
    • Wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask when possible.
  • When COVID-19 community level is medium, child care programs should implement the Monitor to Stay protocol for eligible staff and children age 2 and older who were exposed to someone with COVID-19, except household contacts, and don’t have symptoms. They may attend child care if they:
    • Screen for symptoms and attest to the child care program for 5 days after exposure;
    • Wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask when possible; and
    • Get tested on day 5, if possible.
    • Children younger than age 2 should quarantine at home for at least 5 full days.
  • When COVID-19 community level is low, child care programs should implement the Monitor to Stay protocol for all eligible staff and children who were exposed to someone with COVID-19, except household contacts, and don’t have symptoms. They may attend child care if they:
    • Screen for symptoms and attest to the child care program for 5 days after exposure;
    • Wear high-quality, well-fitting masks when possible if they’re age 2 and older; and
    • Get tested on day 5, if possible.

People who are up to date with their vaccinations or recently tested positive are exempt from quarantine if they don’t have symptoms. Children and staff who are exposed at home and anyone who is symptomatic is asked to quarantine at home.

“Given that young children are not yet eligible for vaccinations, this new quarantine framework is even more important,” RIDOH Interim Director Dr. James McDonald said. “This framework is based on science, data, and best practice, which helps child care programs choose the quarantine approach which best fits their communities and increase safe access to child care for children, families, and staff.”

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These new recommendations will begin Monday, March 14. The Health Department and R.I. Department of Human Services will hold informational sessions for child care providers next week to help implement the guidance.

Providers who choose not to implement the new recommendations should continue to use the current quarantine guidance from the Health Department.

To support providers that want enhanced mitigation, the state will provide free at-home test kits through June 2022 to enable the implementation of the TTS protocol.

In terms of masking, RIDOH Consultant Medical Director Dr. Philip Chan said there is no recommendation for masking for communities considered “low” risk. For communities that are “medium” risk, or people who are immunocompromised, he recommends talking to your doctor. “High” risk communities should wear a mask.

The statewide school mask mandate also expired on Friday, but local school districts still have the power to set their own mask policies.

The CDC’s updated guidance also no longer recommends students wear masks on school buses. McKee said it’s up to each school district to decide if they want masks to remain on school transportation.