Lee County Schools Requiring Unvaccinated Students Exposed to COVID to Stay Home, Even if They Have Natural Immunity

The School District of Lee County, Florida, published on their website a page detailing current protocols regarding COVID-19 during the 2021-2022 school year.

One aspect of the protocols describes what is required to be done in “Exposure to Positive Cases.”

It reads, “Families are required to: Keep students who have been in direct contact with an individual who received a positive COVID-19 test and who are not fully vaccinated, home from school, school sponsored events and school property until …”

Unvaccinated students must remain home until they remain asymptomatic and get a negative COVID test four days from last exposure, or must only wait seven days since last exposure with no negative COVID test.

Conservatives are questioning the disproportionate impact on minority community students, who are less likely then white people to get the COVID vaccine.

The requirement is criticized by many who recognize the existence of “durable and robust” natural immunity following COVID-19 recovery.

Medical experts of all political opinions have almost universally concluded that the COVID-19 vaccines provide strong protection against severe illness and death due to COVID.

However, officials are giving little airtime to the existence of a strong natural immunity, which has been subject of intense debate as to whether vaccines are better, equal, or synergistic.

Nonetheless, Lee County Schools’ requirements seemingly go against current scientific knowledge, practically and scientifically speaking, conservatives point out.

If natural immunity exists and is similar to the protection vaccinations provide, they argue, why are naturally immune students still being treated the same as students who have never been exposed to the virus or taken the vaccine?

The guidelines come under fire additionally as a new Mayo Clinic and Cambridge-based company released a study showing a mere 42% effectiveness rate against the Delta Variant. 

The vaccines are universally highly effective against hospitalization and death. 

Florida’s Conservative Voice reached out to The School District of Lee County for a comment on the potential impact of the policy on minority students who have lower vaccination rates.

“The Florida Department of Health sets the quarantine guidelines for students in the state and we are following their recommendations,” the official remarked. 

All medically-related information contained in this article is informational and aggregated from various news sources. Do not use information contained in this article to make a medical decision. Speak with a personal medical professional for medical advice relating to COVID-19.