Superintendent’s Update ~ Positive Covid Cases at Davis School and BHS ~ December 21, 2020

December 21, 2020

December 21,  2020

  • One (1) new COVID-19 positive case at Davis School (Davis Case #8) has been identified.
  • One (1) new COVID-19 positive case at Bedford High School (BHS Case #22) has been identified.
  • There are no identified Close Contacts outside the household for BHS Case #22.
  • Close Contacts of Davis Case #8 have been identified by contact tracers.  As of the issuance of this letter, families with children who are close contacts of Davis Case #8 have been contacted to inform them of their child’s need to quarantine at home. Those students who are affected will be learning remotely during the quarantine period.
  • There is one (1) active COVID-19 positive case in the Davis School Community and two (2) active COVID-19 cases in the BHS community at this time.

Today I was informed of an 8th case of COVID-19 within the Davis School Community and a 22nd case of COVID-19 within the Bedford High School (BHS) Community since the start of school in mid-September. Both cases are now in isolation at home. Investigations revealed that BHS Case #22 was not in school during their infectious period, while Davis School Case #8 was present in school during their infectious period. Close contacts of Davis Case #8 have been identified and instructed to quarantine for fourteen (14) days after the last exposure.

Under new quarantine protocols, as an alternative to the 14 day quarantine period, if you have been without symptoms since quarantining, you can have a negative COVID-19 test (via PCR) collected on or after day five (5) of initial quarantine for a shorter quarantine period (7 or more days), provided you remain asymptomatic throughout. Or, you can quarantine for a full 10 days and if you remain symptom free throughout you may come out of quarantine on day 11. You must still monitor for symptoms through day 14 of the quarantine period. If you have not been informed that your child is a close contact of Davis Case #8, then your child is not required to quarantine.

Please note: while your child may be released from quarantine, there may be staffing related issues that prevent their return to the hybrid model (in-person learning). Your school principal will communicate with you relative to when your child can return to school.

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Upon receipt of the positive case reports, the Bedford Health Department Staff and School Nurses immediately began case investigation to determine close contacts of these cases. A close contact is defined as anyone within 6 feet of a COVID-19 positive individual for greater than 15 minutes, cumulatively over 24 hours during the period they are infectious. Given Davis Case #8 is the only one of the two new cases who was in school during their infections period, any student or staff member determined to be a close contact of Davis Case #8, both through activities inside or outside of school or as a result of the inability to confirm the specific time frame of contact being less than 15 minutes with Davis Case #8, has been contacted by the Health Department Staff or School Nurses and is required to quarantine.

Information on close contact identification, contacting tracing and where and when to get tested, can be found in our FAQ.

We remind parents/guardians/caregivers that it is imperative that all Bedford Public School students be evaluated for symptoms of COVID-19 each day before sending them off to school. Teachers and school staff are required to do the same self-evaluation for symptoms. These measures, taken in combination, greatly reduce the risk of transmission.

We will continue to be vigilant in adhering to all of the protocols that have been put in place in an effort to continue in person learning via our current hybrid model.  We are also providing remote learning for all students required to quarantine at home to continue to provide instruction, structure, and an emotional connection to the classroom during a time that we know will be challenging for those children and families involved.

We are committed to continuous communication with and support of our families.  If there is additional transmission as a result of these cases or a separate case, we will send out another message immediately. Thank you for your continued support.

Wishing you continued health.

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