(KNZA)--The Holton and Jackson Heights School Boards, during special meetings Wednesday, approved new guidance loosening quarantine guidelines.

The new guidelines were drafted by the Jackson County Health Department for K-12 schools and authorized by the Jackson County Commission.

The new guidelines allow students in a low risk school setting who would previously be considered close contacts to continue in-school learning as long as they wore a mask when they were exposed to the coronavirus.

The guidelines stipulate that if a student was not properly wearing a mask when they were exposed, they will still have to quarantine for 14 days.

Previous guidance called for all students and staff to quarantine after being determined a close contact regardless of mask usage.

The new guidelines are designed to keep more students in the classroom and more teachers on the job.