A Marin County elementary college has reinstated its indoor masking rule following a spike in COVID-19 circumstances.
Coleman Elementary College in San Rafael has documented 20 infections since March 22, together with 14 college students and 6 workers, the college district reported Thursday.
Principal Mike Taylor introduced a brief reinstatement of the indoor masks mandate via April 15. He stated further masks will likely be accessible within the college workplace.
The varsity can be distributing further at-home speedy exams for households to make use of any time signs or potential exposures happen. Any youngsters who check optimistic must be saved residence and retested earlier than returning to high school, Taylor stated.
“I wish to emphasize that this isn't a time for alarm, however for us to implement the really useful public well being methods to answer an uptick in circumstances and reduce threat of transmission,” Taylor stated in a letter to oldsters on Wednesday. “Collectively, we're all adapting to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, whereas creating environments the place college students thrive.”
An identical spike in coronavirus infections was reported at Bacich Elementary College in Kentfield. However it occurred earlier than the indoor masks mandate for colleges lifted on March 12.
Raquel Rose, superintendent of the Kentfield College District, stated 13 college students and one workers member at Bacich examined optimistic between March 6 and 11.
All of the individuals who examined optimistic adopted the isolation and testing pointers and returned to high school as soon as the protocol was accomplished, she stated.
Rose stated the county really useful onsite testing on March 23. She stated 125 college students and workers have been examined, and there have been no optimistic circumstances.
“We've performed a deep cleansing on the web site and proceed to supply masks for the scholars and workers,” she stated.
Elsewhere within the county, COVID-19 infections have been minimal for the reason that indoor masks mandate ended, training leaders stated this week. A number of college districts plan to distribute residence check kits for households to have whereas college students are on spring break subsequent week.
“We at the moment have 14 college students districtwide who've examined optimistic for COVID prior to now 10 days and two workers members,” stated Tara Taupier, superintendent of the Tamalpais Union Excessive College District. “We at the moment have 5,039 college students and 503 workers members within the district.”
Equally, the Novato Unified College District just isn't reporting a spike in optimistic circumstances. Leslie Benjamin, a district spokesperson, stated workers and college students have continued to put on masks indoors for the reason that steerage modified.
“The COVID exercise has been manageable,” she stated.
On the Reed Union College District, a handful of scholars have examined optimistic, stated Kimberly McGrath, the superintendent.
“We at the moment have six complete energetic circumstances, which incorporates no workers members and solely six college students,” McGrath stated. “This can be a manageable degree of COVID exercise.”
The Miller Creek College District has “not had a surge,” stated Becky Rosales, the superintendent. The scholars and workers are anticipated to check on April 10 earlier than returning to high school the subsequent day.
“Since March 6, three workers and one scholar examined optimistic,” she stated.
At Ross Valley College District, the state of affairs is “manageable,” stated superintendent Marci Trahan. She stated 11 college students and no workers have examined optimistic since March 14.
“There’s actually a mixture of college students and workers who proceed to put on masks indoors and out,” she stated.
The district will distribute check kits “to all college students and workers this Friday that they will use if they've an publicity, turn out to be symptomatic, return from out of state journey, or to check out of quarantine after publicity,” Trahan stated.
The Larkspur-Corte Madera College District has “not had very many circumstances in any respect” and “no important spikes,” stated Brett Geithman, superintendent.
College students and workers will likely be taking residence one other batch of at-home check kits over the break, however they are going to be informed solely to make use of if they've signs, Geithman stated.
At Branson College in Ross, “the rollout of mask-optional has gone exceptionally effectively and about 20% of our group remains to be masking inside,” stated Chris Mazzola, head of college.
“We've had one or two COVID circumstances, however that's it,” Mazzola stated.
Marin Catholic Excessive College in Kentfield has had “zero circumstances of scholars or school with COVID,” stated Tim Navone, college president.
“A really low proportion of scholars and college put on masks on campus,” Navone stated. “We've no present plans for any testing after Easter break.”
John Carroll, superintendent of the Lagunitas and Bolinas-Stinson college districts, stated “we haven’t had actually any circumstances in school.” He stated there have been “just a few people with optimistic circumstances off-campus, however nothing alarming.”
“Issues have really been calmer than traditional,” he stated.
Infections at Shoreline Unified College District in West Marin “have remained at a manageable degree since our change to our coverage, with solely two scholar circumstances over the previous few weeks,” stated Adam Jennings, the district superintendent.
“We even have a mix of scholars and workers who're carrying face coverings, and are making check kits accessible to all of our college students and workers,” he stated.
Mary Jane Burke, the county superintendent of faculties, stated “the lifting of the state masks mandate and its implementation on the native degree has up to now confirmed to be working effectively.”
Burke stated the Marin County Workplace of Schooling has obtained a brand new provide of at-home speedy antigen COVID-19 exams for distribution to colleges prematurely of spring break subsequent week. Households can use the exams earlier than returning youngsters to high school on April 11, or at any time signs happen.
Burke stated public well being officers are “advising anybody who's touring or participating in another doubtlessly dangerous exercise to contemplate testing earlier than getting back from spring break.”
“In any other case, college students and workers might maintain onto the check and use it if experiencing signs,” she stated.