School officials announced Friday afternoon that the county’s health department has identified another school – the school system’s fourth this month – has a cluster of COVID-19 cases.
Garrett Elementary School in Mebane was determined to have five positive cases (the minimum number for such a determination) associated with the cluster.
Health officials have defined a “cluster” as five or more positive cases of covid that can be linked epidemiologically over the course of 14 days.
Earlier clusters had been identified a week ago at Altamahaw-Ossipee Elementary, Grove Park Elementary, and Cummings High School.
According to the school system, seven students are currently being quarantined at Garrett.
Overall, 179 students and three staff members are in quarantine across the school system.
The highest number of quarantined students are at Western Middle School (31); Elon Elementary (19); Williams High School (14); Newlin Elementary (13); Southern High School (11); Broadview Middle and Eastlawn Elementary (10 each).
According to the school system, individuals with positive cases associated with the cluster at Garrett and anyone determined to be a close contact to an identified positive COVID-19 case have already been notified by the school nurse or by the health department and have received instruction on appropriate quarantine and health protocols.
The school building itself has already had additional cleaning and sanitation undertaken, per school system guidelines, according to the school system.
Overall, 179 students and three staff members are in quarantine across the school system.
See story on school board concerns over the lack of instruction being provided to quarantined students: https://alamancenews.com/some-school-board-members-concerned-that-quarantined-students-have-received-no-instruction-since-school-started/
