The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread around the world, and the Bay Area is no exception: the omicron variant is driving up the number of positive cases in the Redwood City School District (RCSD) as well.
As of Wednesday, January 12, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) implemented new guidelines that change group tracing to close contact tracing.
This means RCSD will notify “clusters” of exposed students rather than conducting contact tracing to identify individual “close contacts.”
In light of this, COVID-19 Response Director Dr. Shanna Laney reported via a letter on Tuesday, January 18, that at Orion Elementary School, a person who works in the 4th and 5th grade levels was identified as having tested positive for COVID-19.
The person with the SARS-CoV-2 virus was initially at school during the infectious period, and public health recommendations have been followed to ensure that the infected person follows the isolation instructions: that they stay away from others until they can safely return to school.
For families with children enrolled at the school, she said students can remain at the school unless they develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19.
“Please remember that being exposed to someone with COVID-19 does not necessarily mean your child will become infected. In fact, scientific research and experience from across the country, including California this school year, show that schools remain one of the safest places for children,” she stressed in a statement issued to the Orion community.
The school also recommended testing all children attending school for COVID-19 in three to five days starting January 18.
In this regard, she recalled that to perform the tests, over-the-counter home tests can be used, or the RCSD diagnostic testing service for students and staff.
It should be noted that Primary Health registration is required to perform the test. This has to be completed only once.
If your child develops COVID-19 symptoms or tests positive, she said, you should make sure they isolate at home immediately and notify the school office. “When you notify us, we can take additional steps to keep our school community safe.”
Please note that children must continue to wear face coverings indoors at school and in the community as required by school, local, and state requirements.
“Follow school protocols to protect against COVID-19. High-quality masks with the best fit and filtration will provide the best protection for your child and the school community.”
“If your child has not already done so, they should get vaccinated against COVID-19. If they are 12 years of age or older, a booster dose is recommended five months after the second dose. COVID-19 vaccines remain the best way to protect against the spread of this virus and against serious illness,” she added.
Laney stressed that it is important for all members of the school community to continue to follow the safety protocols in place at the institution.
“Because COVID-19 transmission remains much more likely to occur outside of the school setting, infections diagnosed in students and staff are not necessarily the result of exposure at school when safety protocols are followed on our campus,” she explained.
For questions and concerns regarding the measures followed by the school, he encouraged those interested to contact his office at 650-482-2269, or by email at the address covidnotifications@rcsdk8.net, as well as visiting the institution's website for updates.
“Please be assured that we are committed to providing an optimal learning experience that ensures the safety of our students and staff,” he concluded.
You may be interested in: Family caregivers should be a priority in vaccinations and COVID testing
