Osceola County Schools superintendent says people from 8 schools test positive for COVID-19
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - The Osceola County superintendent says safety precautions are working after eight schools had people test positive for COVID-19.
The superintendent says none of the people were on campus when school started on Monday.
"So far, we don’t have any evidence that it spread to any of our students in any of our schools," said Osceola County Schools Superintendent Dr. Debra Pace. "We have not quarantined a class or a school and don’t have any indication that would be appropriate protocol in any setting right now."
The eight schools include Celebration K-8, Harmony Middle, Neptune, Ventura, Hickory Tree, KOA Elementary, St. Cloud High and Celebration High.
She says the Celebration Cross Country team quarantined before school ever started.
"They had someone from the outside come in and run with their team who ended up testing positive. So out of an abundance of caution, we quarantined that entire team," Dr. Pace said.
Four teachers at Harmony Middle tested positive and five others are in quarantine.
"None of those teachers have been on campus since students arrived. And the five teachers testing and quarantined have no symptoms, so we feel confident," she said.
A teacher from Neptune Elementary School also tested positive. Five others quarantined.
Ventura, Hickory Tree and KOA elementary schools also had teachers test positive, but they weren’t on campus.
"We had some situations that have arisen out of social gatherings outside of school. We’ve also have had situations that potentially occurred from our pre-planning meetings," Dr. Pace said.
She says six parents tested positive at Celebration K-8 after going on vacation before school started.
Two students from St. Cloud High called in sick with COVID but never went to school.
"We have transitions in place so if teachers do need to quarantine in time or students need to quarantine in time, we can switch them to digital learning," Dr. Pace said.
She says students and staff have been following social distancing rules, wearing masks and washing their hands. Dr. Pace advises people not to go out if they feel sick.