Hundreds of thousands of students across the North Carolina head back to class tomorrow – under some new COVID-19 guidelines.

Students are returning to school as the quickly-spreading omicron variant is putting more children in hospitals with COVID.

The state is updating guidance for students or staff:

• Students or staff who test positive for COVID can return to school after 5 days
• Vaccinated people with no symptoms can return immediately after an exposure

Wake County Public Schools will begin optional weekly testing at all schools in the new year, and are encouraging vaccination and testing before returning to class.

Some parents are concerned about sending their children back to school during the surge in omicron.

“As the COVID numbers are increasing, there’s not a whole lot of things that have been done to keep our kids safe in schools,” said Christa Morrison, whose 6th grade daughter is high-risk.

The omicron variant was discovered in North Carolina just days before most school systems let out for the holiday break.

John Scarborough, who has a first grader in Wake County schools, said, “We’re cautiously optimistic. We’re all vaxxed. We all understand the science. We understand the risk.”

Dr. Zach Willis, a pediatric infectious disease doctor at UNC Children’s Hospital, urges parents and children to get vaccinated.

“I still have yet to see a fully vaccinated child in the hospital,” said Willis.

He reassures parents that schools can reopen safely after the holidays – especially if masks are mandatory.

“I do think they still have a lot of value in preventing transmission and preventing school-based outbreaks,” he said.

Willis also says parents need to remain vigilant about COVID symptoms.

When asked if delaying the return date was an option for Wake County schools, officials said any calendar change would have to happen at a public school board meeting. The next board meeting is Tuesday, meaning students will have already returned to class.