Which MCSD schools reported COVID-19 cases? Letters to parents reveal notification plan
The Muscogee County School District won’t identify the schools where students infected with COVID-19 attend, but letters sent to parents and shared with the Ledger-Enquirer disclose those schools and provide insight into MCSD’s notification process.
MCSD’s news release on Sept. 21 announced two students tested positive for the coronavirus during the first week of in-person classes amid the pandemic. The district plans to have weekly reports on the prevalence of COVID-19 in Columbus public schools.
But the schools with positive cases aren’t named.
MCSD communications director Mercedes Parham told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email, “We are not disclosing that information (schools with positive COVID-19 cases) for student/employee privacy reasons.”
The absence of that information concerned parents who were asked to choose whether their children would attend in-person classes or remain in virtual instruction. That’s why two parents shared with the Ledger-Enquirer letters sent last week to notify them about a positive coronavirus test reported at their school. They declined to be interviewed further for this story.
Those schools are Blackmon Road Middle School and Northside High School.
How are parents and students notified of cases?
When asked to explain the district’s notification process following a positive case, Parham provided the following information:
“After learning that there has been a positive diagnosis of COVID-19, Muscogee County School District will act quickly to identify all parties potentially exposed during the infectious period and take appropriate action to avoid further exposure.
“Contact exposures with those diagnosed with COVID-19 will be investigated in collaboration with the Department of Public Health, local authorities, and Muscogee County School District Pandemic Response Team.
“The following considerations will be measured prior to notification to those potentially exposed. The factors of primary focus will include, but not be limited to:
- The last day the individual diagnosed with COVID-19 was in contact with those potentially exposed.
- The duration of the contact between the individual diagnosed and those potentially exposed.
- The approximate distance between the individual diagnosed and those potentially exposed.
- The date for which the individual diagnosed began experiencing symptoms.
- Any and all further questioning as advised by the Muscogee County School District Pandemic Response Team and collaborators.”
The district declined to comment on the two letters obtained by the L-E.
Non-exposure notice
The notification letters obtained by the L-E shed light on at least two parts of the process.
A Sept. 18 “Student Non-Exposure Notice” from the Blackmon Road principal addressed to a “parent or guardian of a student” at the school says, in part:
“On September 18, 2020, we were alerted that an individual in your student’s school has tested positive for COVID-19. We have been working closely with local public health officials to ensure the proper recommendations are followed to identify close contacts of this individual in a confidential manner, and clean and disinfect relevant areas of the school building.
“Based on the information we have now, your student or students have not been identified as a close contact with the individual who tested positive, and do not need to quarantine at home.”
The letter, which was emailed to the parent, goes on to say that guardians should monitor their children for any COVID-19 symptoms by checking in daily for signs like fever, fatigue, congestion or nausea. It is signed by Principal Penny Gorum.
Close-contact letter
A Sept. 21 MCSD letter given to a Northside parent or guardian when they picked up their child from school says, in part:
“On 09/21/20, we were alerted to an individual at your student’s school who was diagnosed with COVID-19. We have been working closely with local public health officials to ensure the proper recommendations are followed to isolate the individual diagnosed with COVID-19, identify their close contacts, and clean and disinfect as appropriate.
“Your student was identified as a close contact to someone diagnosed with COVID-19.
“… As a result, the student named above is at risk of infection beginning 2-14 days after exposure.
“For your child’s safety and the safety of the public, the Georgia Department of Public Health requires that you actively monitor your child’s health for COVID symptoms and keep him/her quarantined at home from 09/21/20 through 10/04/20.”
The letter names the child identified as a close contact, but the Ledger-Enquirer has blocked that from the document in order to maintain their privacy.
MCSD said in its news release Sept. 21 that it hadn’t received any reports about an employee testing positive for COVID-19 from Sept. 14-18, the first week of the district’s phased reopening of in-person classes. In its Monday report, MCSD said three employees tested positive the week of Sept. 21-25 and 16 were self-quarantining or isolating.
Sept. 21 was the first day students in all grades were allowed back on campus. Approximately 42% of MCSD students with a declaration on file have opted for in-person classes.
Other school districts
Some local school districts have disclosed the schools with students or employees infected by the coronavirus.
On Aug. 17, Harris County School District spokeswoman Rachel Crumbley, in response to the L-E’s request, forwarded a copy of the notification from Harris County High School informing all parents that someone at the school tested positive for COVID-19 during the first week of the fall 2020 semester.
The message didn’t disclose whether the infected person is a student or employee, but Crumbley confirmed that the infected person at the high school was a student. She cited employee privacy when declining to disclose where the three infected staff members work.
Harris County has 76% of its students taking in-person classes.
On Aug. 19, the Troup County School System announced two students taking in-person classes tested positive for COVID-19 during the first week of the fall 2020 semester. Although the news release didn’t identify the schools, TCSS public relations director Yolanda Stephen, in response to the L-E’s question, said one student attends Long Cane Elementary School and the other Hollis Hand Elementary School.
Troup has 68% of its students taking in-person classes.
This story was originally published September 29, 2020 at 6:50 AM.
