 | By Paola de Varona, Associate News Editor | | Depending on where you live, at-home COVID tests can be difficult to get your hands on. Recently, as I nursed a nasty cold, I managed to secure one at my local CVS. While I didn't have COVID-19, receiving results in 15 minutes allowed me to return back to my normal routine—and offered instant peace of mind.
In today's newsletter, we're looking at how this simple type of testing can play a big role in COVID policies. Some schools are catching on to the benefits of these rapid tests as a way to keep kids in classrooms and out of quarantine. | | | Today's Top Story | | Test-to-Stay Measures Are Keeping Kids in School |  | As many kids head back to in-person learning for the first time in a year, classrooms are already being forced to navigate COVID-19 outbreaks. As they try to manage infection, tens of thousands of students are being sent home for mandatory quarantines.
But some schools are doing things a bit differently. Schools in states like Utah, California, and Massachusetts are turning to a "test-to-stay" quarantine policy.
Instead of being sent home, students who have been exposed to COVID-19 but are asymptomatic can stay in class, as long as they continue to test negative for seven days.
Does the science back it up? While the CDC doesn't currently recommend a modified quarantine process for schools, early research suggests it's safe.
In a recent study looking at 201 schools in the United Kingdom, researchers found that allowing students who were exposed to infected peers to stay in the classroom with regular testing was about as safe as asking them to quarantine.
Schools instituting this policy are focused on the benefits. More time in classrooms keeps students engaged, and keeps them feeling better emotionally. In some districts, where there isn't access to virtual learning, students may be left without instruction for up to two weeks if they have to isolate or quarantine.
Still, the logistics are challenging. With rapid tests selling out nationwide, schools may struggle to get ahold of the tests they need. Shortages will likely keep many schools from joining in. | | Know More | | Some states are taking this a step further by lifting quarantine policies for students entirely. Florida recently instituted new protocols allowing parents to decide whether their children should quarantine or stay in school if they are asymptomatic after being exposed. But optional quarantine, without a test-to-stay approach, is the perfect recipe for uncontrolled outbreaks. | | Feel Better | | If your child is returning to in-person learning this year, check if their school offers regular testing for students. Even if tests aren't offered or required, sending them masked up to class is another great form of protection. | | |  | | Testing isn't the only COVID-19 precaution schools are taking to protect students. Mask mandates are also crucial for preventing infection. But a Verywell survey finds that only 16 states (plus Washington, D.C.) are mandating mask-wearing in schools. All other states either have no rules in place or banned mandates. |  |  | | Your Cultural Foods Belong in a Healthy Diet | | In Latinx communities, common food staples like rice and tortillas are often the first dishes people cut back on in an attempt to eat healthier. But experts say a diet that doesn't include culturally rich foods isn't one you should pursue. We spoke to five Latina dieticians who are trying to change the narrative. | | | | Feeling Stressed? The COVID Vaccine Can Help | If you've been feeling those pandemic blues, the COVID-19 vaccine may be your antidote. Researchers from the University of Southern California Dornsife College found that people who received at least one dose reported a significant decrease in severe and mild depression.
These results have less to do with the shot itself and more with what it symbolizes for people living through a global crisis. "The vaccine represented control over an incredibly upsetting and even traumatic experience in the lives of Americans, and the rest of the world," Cecily Havert, MD, a physician at Northern Virginia Family Care Practice, tells Verywell. | | | | | |  | | Anisa Arsenault, associate editorial director of Verywell Health, shares how her morning routine allows her to manage stress throughout the day. |  | | Starting your day with exercise puts things in perspective. If you wake up and break a sweat, there's a good chance your job won't be the hardest part of your day. | |  |  | Anisa Arsenault
Verywell Health Associate Editorial Director
| | | Keep Reading | | | ■ | The Llama, the Hamster, and a New Path for Covid Treatment. Wired | | | | | ■ | We're Already Barreling Toward the Next Pandemic. The Atlantic | | | | | ■ | My Latinx Culture Stigmatized Therapy, But It Changed My Life. Elite Daily | | | | | | | |  |     | You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Verywell Health newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here.
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