The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

The Ohio Department of Health has released new guidance for students exposed to COVID-19 in the classroom.

In most cases, when students head back to the classroom, masks will be optional. That could present unforeseen problems, particularly with quarantine guidance.

The health department said they are modifying standard quarantine procedures for K-12 students for the 2021-22 school year. That modified guidance is based on several studies, including the Ohio Schools COVID-19 Evaluation, which is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

State health officials say that students and staff -- regardless of vaccination status -- are not required to quarantine if all of the following preventative measures are in place: masking for all students and staff; physical distancing is maximized; and there are documented prevention policies in place (strategies to increase ventilation, protocols for cleaning, etc).

CLICK HERE FOR A FULL FLOW CHART BREAKDOWN

While most school districts will not mandate masks in the classroom, the above only applies to a select few districts -- notably Cincinnati Public Schools, Indiana Hill, Ludlow and Dayton (Kentucky).

If not all prevention measures are in place, state officials say quarantine following exposure is not necessary for fully-vaccinated students and adults, only if they adhere to certain precautions. Those precautions include wearing a mask indoors for 14 days, or until a viral test performed three to five days after exposure comes back negative.

What if masks are not worn by everyone, and a student (or staff member) is unvaccinated? That's when it gets kind of hairy.

In the scenario that not all prevention measures are in place, and a person exposed has not been fully vaccinated, the health department says that quarantine is not necessary if the person exposed was wearing a face mask consistently and physical distancing was maintained. However, certain precautions should still be taken -- like masking indoors, and self-monitoring for symptoms.

Quarantine is advised for anyone not fully vaccinated, and when layers of prevention were not in place, as described above. In this case, state health officials recommend a quarantine that lasts at least seven days since the last exposure, and the contact should have a negative viral (PCR or antigen) test collected on or after day five. Individuals should watch for any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days.

Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.