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Schools deal with COVID exposures

By Joseph Abraham
Posted 9/28/21

SULLIVAN COUNTY –– With active COVID cases in the county remaining in the upper 100s, local school districts have been busy keeping the public informed on possible exposures and positive …

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Schools deal with COVID exposures

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SULLIVAN COUNTY –– With active COVID cases in the county remaining in the upper 100s, local school districts have been busy keeping the public informed on possible exposures and positive tests.

For example on Saturday, Fallsburg Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ivan Katz said earlier that afternoon, the district was informed that one staff member at Benjamin Cosor Elementary School (BCES) had tested positive for COVID-19.

“As a result, 21 students have been identified as primary exposures,” said Dr. Katz said in a letter to parents on the district’s website. “All of those identified as primary exposures will be quarantined and all have been contacted at this time. If you have not been contacted, your child does not need to quarantine. An additional staff member was symptomatic and will be tested before returning.”

Dr. Katz added that neccessary precautions and disinfection protocols have been put in place along with any other required actions. BCES remains open for all other students. The Junior-Senior High School was not affected and also remains open.

Meanwhile in Monticello, in an update on their website on Friday, the district announced that they’d received notice of three Monticello CSD students who tested positive for COVID-19 at three of their schools (Emma C. Chase Elementary School, St. John Street School, and Monticello High School).

The student at Chase ES was last in school on September 21, with 15 close contacts being identified; the student at the St. John Street School was last in school on September 23 with two close contacts identified; and the Monticello High School student was last in school on September 21 with nine close contacts identified.

Monticello Superintendent Dr. Matthew Evans said these contacts will most likely be quarantined by Sullivan County Public Health.

“We have informed all of those who have been identified as tentative contacts. We are also coordinating contact tracing with Sullivan County Public Health Services,” said Dr. Evans. “All areas of these schools have been regularly disinfected, and we’ll continue to disinfect our schools consistent with our COVID-19 protocols.”

The quarantined students have been receiving remote instruction, and at the moment, all schools were open for in-person instruction yesterday.

“If you or your child are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please contact your health care provider,” said Dr. Evans. “We hope that all of you remain healthy, or, if sick, recover soon. Stay well.”

Lastly in Liberty, multiple positive COVID tests were announced by the district last week.

Last Monday, the district learned that a Liberty High School (LHS) student and a Liberty Elementary (LES) student have tested positive for COVID-19. The LES student was last on campus September 16; the LHS student was last on campus September 17.

On Tuesday, the district announced that they learned several Liberty students have tested positive for COVID-19. The students included: A Liberty High School student who was last on campus September 20; A Liberty Elementary School student who was last on campus September 16; and a Liberty Middle School student who was last on campus September 17.

Then on Wednesday, they announced that a LES staff member and a LES student, both of whom were last on campus on September 21, tested positive for COVID-19.

For updated information about COVID-19, check out Sullivan County Public Health Services’ website, as well as that of your child’s local school district.

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