What happens when COVID shows up in a Vermont classroom?
RUTLAND, Vt. (WCAX) - As we get set to send kids back to school, questions remain about what will happen if and when COVID-19 cases arise in classrooms. Vermont health officials say they do not think those cases will lead to widespread exposure or a need to send all students home. Vermont State Epidemiologist Patsy Kelso explained the protocols to our Olivia Lyons.
Kelso tells me if there is a positive case in the classroom, contact tracing will be used to contain the virus.
Just because one person is infected, it doesn't mean everyone is, so there is no need to shutdown the classroom or school.
"If we have a case of COVID, the health department gets involved right away, we get that lab result or that report from the health care provider and we start our contact tracing," Kelso said.
If a student or staff member begins showing signs of COVID during the school day, they will be brought to an isolation room until they can be sent home. In some schools that is the nurse's office, an empty classroom or a separate room built specifically for this.
If the symptomatic person later tests positive, contact tracing will be done with anyone who has been within 6 feet of that person for 15 minutes or longer. Those people then have to quarantine for 7-14 days.
"Just because you're in the same classroom or building doesn't mean you could have had exposure, even if there was a case," Kelso explained.
Since the turnaround time for testing varies, some close contacts may be asymptomatic but still attending school. Kelso says this is tricky and is the cause of some viral spreading.
"If they do spread it through asymptomatic transmission, we will identify the cases and then do contact tracing around them," she said.
Over the past five months, the health department has been using contact tracing as a method to prevent outbreaks. By identifying cases, they can do containment to slow the spread.
The virus is spread through droplets, so if it is possible to identify a single classroom with a case, the health department guidance is to close the room for 24 hours. This allows droplets to settle on surfaces so someone can later clean up without worrying about breathing in the virus.
I spoke with many people Thursday afternoon and most had not heard about the new guidance. But decisions are still split as to whether students should be going back to school and what should happen if a positive case is in one of the classrooms.
"I don't have to be in the classroom anymore but I would go back in. Today's plan is contact tracing and not shutting a classroom down with one child having it and I would support that," said Donna Jacobs of Brattleboro.
From a former teacher to a current teacher-- Erica Caetano of Rutland says there are well thought out plans in place, but she is still nervous.
"I'm putting myself at risk and it's tough to have this situation, but I trust that our leaders and our towns will do a good job in keeping us all as safe as they can," Caetano said.
"The first couple situations are probably going to be really anxious times for everybody-- parents and teachers and staff and the health department," Kelso said.
Another question we’ve heard from parents is about testing. There is no plan for widespread testing of students and staff, even if there are COVID cases in schools. Health officials say they do not have that kind of capacity and they don’t think it’s necessary to test students who are not displaying symptoms.
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