Rhode Island will allow children who have been exposed to COVID-19 to attend child care programs as long as they are asymptomatic starting March 14, according to new guidelines announced Friday by Governor Dan McKee. 

The change, which incorporates the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is aimed at protecting health while keeping children in care and reducing disruption to families, the governor and state health officials said.

The state Department of Health recommends that child care programs use a “test to stay” program, which allows children who have been exposed to the virus to remain in the program as long as they take frequent COVID-19 tests when the state is at a high level of risk, as they were earlier this winter. Child care programs are advised to use a “monitor to stay” approach when the state risk levels are low or medium, as they are now. (See the CDC community  risk levels here.) The monitor to stay approach allows children and staff who have been exposed to the virus to attend child care if they are asymptomatic.

Child care staff who are exposed to COVID-19 at work, but who are up to date with their vaccinations or recently have had the virus and are asymptomatic, also are exempt from quarantine. Staff and children who were exposed to the virus at home and have symptoms should quarantine at home, state health officials said in a statement. 

“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,” McKee said in a statement. “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.”

Child care providers can begin implementing the new recommendations on Monday, March 14, following training by the Rhode Island Department of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services. 

“Given that young children are not yet eligible for vaccinations, this new quarantine framework is even more important,” Health Department 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 increases safe access to child care for children, families, and staff.”

Though Rhode Island is currently at low-risk for COVID-19, state health officials said they will provide free at-home tests kits to child care providers through June 2022. The tests will be distributed with the help of the Rhode Island Association for the  Education of Young Children (RIAEYC).

The statewide school indoor mask mandate also expired Friday, leaving it up to school districts to decide whether or not to require masking. Providence, the state’s largest school district, has said it would continue to require all students to wear masks after the statewide mandate expires March 4. 

McKee said at a news conference Friday that it's up to each school district whether they require masks on school buses. The CDC’s latest guidelines do not require wearing masks on buses or vans operated by schools or child care programs.

The state provided the following additional new child care COVID-19 quarantine  guidance: 

• 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.

Health reporter Lynn Arditi can be reached at larditi@thepublicsradio.org. Follow her on Twitter @LynnArditi