Health Update

 

School Health Update

Mike Morris Elementary School

November 11, 2020

This notice is to inform that two individuals at Mike Morris Elementary School have tested positive for COVID-19.  One individual had no exposure to staff or students as determined by the Pacific County Health Department.  Another individual had limited exposure in a classroom within the Monday A Cohort on Monday, November 9, 2020.  These cases are not related to each other and are not related to the junior/senior high school case reported on November 6, 2020.  There is no indication of disease spread within the school.  In addition, all areas of the school have been throughly cleaned.

Our team is working closely with the Pacific County Health Department and we have identified and informed those at school who might have had close contact with the individuals who tested positive for COVID-19. Anyone identified as a close contact will receive notification with information on required actions and support resources. If you did not receive additional notification, then your child was not identified as a close contact and their risk of infection is low. 

The Pacific County Health Department provided a parent information video (that can be accessed here) detailing the protocols for school related cases.  

Symptoms of COVID-19

While your child may not be identified as a close contact of the positive individual, we encourage you to watch for any symptoms of COVID-19 in your child. Those symptoms can include any of the following and may appear two to 14 days after exposure:

Fever of 100.4°F / 38°C or higher        Cough        Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Chills        Fatigue        Muscle pain or body aches    Headache New loss of taste or smell

Sore throat        Congestion or runny nose    Nausea or vomiting        Diarrhea

Other signs of new illness that are unrelated to a preexisting condition (such as seasonal allergies)

What Should I do now? 

While many of these symptoms may be caused by other conditions such as allergies, the health department recommends seeking medical evaluation if any of these symptoms develop in the next 14 days. If your child develops symptoms please notify the school office at 360-875-6041, remain in quarantine, and reach out to your medical provider for evaluation and testing.

If your child is not identified as a close contact and has no COVID-19 symptoms, testing is not recommended and the risk of infection is low. Simply having a case of COVID-19 in the school does not require any restrictions unless your child is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or has tested positive for COVID-19.

Based on this information, if you have specific concerns about your child or would like to keep your child home out of an abundance of caution, please contact your school office at 360-875-6041 so your child can be transitioned to remote learning.

South Bend School District is following all current public health guidance, which is outlined here: 

https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/FallGuidanceK-12.pdf and includes: 

Closing off areas visited by the ill person(s); allowing for ventilation in these areas; cleaning and disinfecting all areas such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, shared electronic equipment (like tablets, touch screens, keyboards, remote controls) used by the ill person(s), focusing especially on frequently touched surfaces. 

The health and safety of our students, staff and entire school community is our top priority. We will continue to keep you informed about any actions required by you or measures we are implementing to protect students, staff and families. 

We again commend the Pacific County Health Department for their efforts and assistance during this time.  If you have further questions about COVID-19, consult your healthcare provider or contact the Washington State Department of Health by visiting https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19, calling the Washington State COVID-19 Assistance Hotline, 1-800-525-0127, or by calling the Pacific County Health Department at 360-875-9343.

Sincerely,

Jon Tienhaara

Superintendent