More than 40 students, staff quarantined after COVID cases in Troup County schools
Two students in the Troup County School System have tested positive for the coronavirus in the first week of the fall 2020 semester, the district announced Wednesday night.
The infections mean 44 students and five employees who had direct contact with the infected students are in quarantine for 14 days, TCSS spokeswoman Yolanda Stephen told the Ledger-Enquirer. The district’s news release didn’t disclose the schools where the infected students attend, but Stephen told the L-E they are Long Cane and Hollis Hand elementary schools.
Troup has approximately 11,900 students, with 68% attending classes in person and 32% only online, Stephen said. The school system has more than 1,700 employees.
The Georgia Department of Public Health defines direct contact as being within 6 feet of the infected person for at least 15 minutes.
“Per the Troup County School System’s established protocol,” the district’s news release says, “the impacted areas of the buildings have been temporarily closed so that the spaces can be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.”
Troup, which started the semester Monday, is the second district in the Columbus area to announce COVID-19 cases since schools started reopening for in-person classes. The Harris County School District, which started the semester Aug. 10, has announced five cases requiring 49 students and employees to quarantine.
This story was originally published August 20, 2020 at 9:52 AM.
