Greenfield-Central student tests positive for COVID-19 on 1st day of school
GREENFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — A student tested positive for the coronavirus on the first day of school in the Greenfield-Central district, the superintendent said Thursday night.
The student attends Greenfield Central Junior High School, 1366 N. Franklin St., according to Superintendent Harold Olin.
School leaders say as soon as they were notified by the Hancock County Health Department, the student was isolated within the school’s clinic. School personnel collected the student’s schedule to determine any close contacts with other people. The school district says students who have had direct contact with a person who is positive for COVID-19 should not return to school for 14 days.
Only those determined to have been in close contact with the student will get a phone call from the school or the county health department.
Olin declined to say how many students were determined to be “close contacts.”
Officials with the Hancock County Health Department (HCHD) on Friday said those involved followed the COVID-19 response plan that was created prior to the 2020-21 school year.
“The COVID-19 plans and procedures developed by our local school corporations, and local healthcare representatives, with input from the Indiana State Department of Health, allowed all those involved to respond appropriately and quickly,” HCHD said in a statement released to News 8 Friday.
As part of the district’s re-entry plan, all areas of all schools will be disinfected professionally each evening.
Also on Thursday night, the Avon school district in Hendricks County said it learned that an Avon High School staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
Stacey L. Moore, communications coordinator for Avon Schools, said in an email to News 8, “The staff member has not been at school this week and has had no close contact with any employee or student. I cannot share additional details due to privacy laws.”
Statement
“On July 30, 2020, the Hancock County Health Department was notified of a positive COVID-19 test result for a student that was in attendance at Greenfield-Central Junior High. The Hancock County Health Department and the Greenfield-Central Community School Corporation (G-CCSC) officials followed their COVID-19 response plan that was jointly created prior to the beginning of the school year. Local health officials immediately notified the COVID-19 contact for the G-CCSC. Parents and guardians of the students who had been exposed were notified by school officials. Those students will remain in quarantine according to CDC recommendations. As the contact tracing process continues, Local and State Health Departments will continue to coordinate with the G-CCSC officials.
“To comply with privacy rights and laws, the Hancock County Health Department is unable to release any personally identifiable information about this patient or those in the contact tracing process.
“The COVID-19 plans and procedures developed by our local school corporations, and local healthcare representatives, with input from the Indiana State Department of Health, allowed all those involved to respond appropriately and quickly.
” All individuals should continue to monitor yourself and/or your child for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Anyone awaiting COVID-19 test results should remain in isolation until those results are received and more information can be gathered.”
Dr. Sandra L. Aspy, health officer, Hancock County Health Department