Two new COVID-19 cases are reported in Grant County. One is a student from Petersburg Elementary School. Close contacts from school, friends and family have been notified and are self- quarantining per protocol. There are currently 12 active cases of those two are currently hospitalized.
175 Total COVID Cases
• 172 confirmed Positive COVID cases
• 3 Probable COVID cases
• 152 Total Recovered
• 12 Active Cases. 2 are hospitalized at this time, all cases will remain active and in quarantine until a minimum of 10 days after diagnosis or symptom onset, AND no symptoms for 24 hours without medication.
• 11 Deaths, of these:
– 8 Deaths listed as COVID related (6 from GRCC)
– 3 others tested positive soon before dying from other causes and COVID was not determined to contribute to the death by the physician of record.
All Grant County School and Grant County Health Department Personnel remind parents to please monitor your children for any symptom of COVID every morning BEFORE sending them to school. If there is any question about a symptom, please call the Health Department or your private provider BEFORE sending the student to school.
If you have any symptoms (loss of taste or smell, fever, cough, muscle aches, cough, shortness of breath, headache or diarrhea) or have been told that you are a close contact to a positive case and are tested, please follow the instructions given at that time for self-isolation until test results are returned and you are instructed when to discontinue isolation.
Garrett County Public Schools will bring additional students into buildings for in-person learning. Please read the following updates and reminders for elementary parents regarding the safety precautions being utilized. Please know that Garrett County Public Schools continues to prioritize the safety of our students and staff throughout this process. The following practices are currently in place and will continue to occur:• Schools will continue to practice social distancing of 6 feet, to the greatest extent possible.• Students will be seated in a socially distanced layout in classrooms with all chairs, desks, or other workstations 6 feet apart, to the greatest extent possible. • Students will be seated one to a seat on the school bus, to the greatest extent possible. • Students will face the same direction, when feasible. • Seating charts will be maintained in all settings to account for close contacts. This will be critical if contact tracing is needed. • Face coverings will continue to be worn by all students and staff unless a medical condition or disability does not allow for a face covering to be worn. School nurses will work with parents to obtain documentation regarding the condition or disability that prevents the use of a face covering. • Staff and students will focus on healthy hygiene behaviors. • The health nurse will conduct random health assessments. This consists of temperature checks and the completion of a COVID assessment.• Students will not use cubbies. Students will keep coats and book bags at their desks. • Schools will continue to discourage sharing of items, to the greatest extent possible. • Custodial staff will perform regular cleaning and disinfecting on a daily basis.Please note that beginning today, October 12th, the following practices will begin:• Some schools will be utilizing the cafeteria for lunch. Lunch shifts in the cafeteria may consist of more than one class cohort at a time. Social distancing of six feet will be maintained to the greatest extent possible during lunch. Cafeteria tables will be disinfected between lunch shifts. Seating charts will be maintained for contact tracing.• During arrival and dismissal times, students may need to report to a common location in some cases, as needed. This may consist of more than one class cohort. Social distancing of six feet will be maintained to the greatest extent possible during these times. Seating charts will be maintained and disinfecting will occur in this setting as well.Should you have any questions about how school will look for your child, please contact the building principal. You can also call Dr. Nicole Miller, Director of Early Childhood/Elementary Education at 301-334-7644 or via email at [email protected].