Gov. Pritzker executive order allows Ill. schools to exclude students, staff with COVID-19

ILLINOIS (KFVS) - Illinois schools can now exclude students and staff with confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases or those who come in close contact.

The latest change comes from an executive order Governor JB Pritzker filed late on Friday night.

Governor Pritzker stressed on Monday that people are required to remove themselves if they have COVID-19 or came in close contact with someone who contracted the virus.

His executive order states schools must exclude any student or school personnel with confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 for at least 10 days.

Close contacts must stay out of schools for a minimum of 14 days.

The executive order states local health officials could recommend exclusion for close contacts be 10 days or seven days with a negative test on day six.

Nothing in the executive order prevents local health departments from issuing orders for isolation or quarantine.

“The schools and local health departments are helping to separate people, to quarantine them, to keep them from infecting other people and to give them the opportunity to test and then come back into the institution,” Governor Pritzker said.

School leaders could also take more stringent measures to keep students and staff safe.

All schools must make virtual learning available for excluded students under the executive order.

This should address concerns from parents of students out of class due to COVID-19 protocols.