Sharp decrease in reported COVID-19 exposures after NBISD changes ‘close contact’ definition

After changing its definition of a “close contact,” New Braunfels ISD reported a sharp decrease in the number of students and faculty exposed to COVID-19.

When NBISD began reopening, the school district northeast of San Antonio used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “close contact” guidelines.

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By that definition, anyone exposed to COVID-19 cases — through a cough or being within 6 feet of the person for 15 minutes — had to quarantine for 14 days, even if they were wearing a mask.

That policy led to 689 students and employees across multiple campuses having to quarantine. But administrators found that only five people out of that number contracted the virus from exposure at school.

Four of the five individuals had “close contact” in athletics, where masks were not being worn, NBISD Superintendent Randy Moczygemba wrote in a letter to parents on Oct. 13. The fifth person had “close contact” while at lunch without a mask.

“Our data indicates that when all students are wearing a mask, students have not contracted COVID-19 while at school,” Moczygemba wrote.

That data led school officials to change how they defined close contacts.

The new policy, which went into effect Monday, considers a person a “close contact” if they are coughed on or within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of at least 15 minutes. But if both individuals were properly masked, the exposed individual will not be considered a “close contact.”

Thus, they would not have to quarantine for 14 days. The district also barred neck gaiters as part of the adjustment.

“We feel confident about the change, but if the change results in students contracting COVID-19 while wearing a mask, we will come back and address that again,” Moczygemba told Community Impact Newspaper.

Since the beginning of the NBISD school year, 39 students and 13 staff members have tested positive for the virus.

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