COLUMBUS, Ohio — Christmas will mark two months since the Ohio Department of Education updated its COVID-19 safety guidelines for schools. The new model that several central Ohio districts have adopted is called "mask to stay, test to play."
How well has it been working? The medical director for Columbus City Schools said it’s been working to keep more kids in the classroom.
For ODH's newest policy, students who have direct exposure to someone with COVID-19 can stay in school as long as they are symptom free and wear a mask for 14 days. Test to play applies to students in extracurricular activities.
However, they need to test right away and again five to seven days later.
"We have seen a positive trend in more students that have been able to stay in class,” said Dr. Sara Bode, the medical consultant for Columbus City Schools.
CCS adopted the guidance for its students.
"Even though they're getting exposed to COVID-19, within the classroom, they're able to wear a mask and continue to stay and get that in person learning that we know is so critical," Dr. Bode said.
She said a big part of this though are the masks – which are required in CCS buildings.
Some districts updated policies to require masks shortly after the start of the school year.
In Gahanna-Jefferson Schools – masks were required after hundreds of students were sent home to quarantine at the beginning of the school year.
Looking at the dashboard now – a big difference. 34 close contacts sent home, 251 able to stay in school.
However, Olentangy Schools Superintendent updated the board of education earlier this month and said he will revisit the current mask policy at a January 13th meeting.
Dr. Bode, who is also a pediatrician, said masks play a critical role in keeping students safe.
"And now it's also winter, and everyone's inside,” she said. “And we have the omicron variant on top of the Delta variant that's likely to come through."
A message echoed strongly by Governor Mike DeWine in an interview this week with 10TV's Kevin Landers.
"When kids go back after Christmas they need to go to the mask,” the governor said. “If they want to stay in school and we don't want to go back to remote."
Dr. Bode says another important tool to keeping kids in the classroom is getting school aged children vaccinated.
Last week they wrapped up a clinic with Nationwide Children's Hospital and administered 2,500 doses in five days. The first week after break -- those students will get their second dose.